Time Heals All Wounds
by TVD.FictionWriter
Summary: They have the same friends. Their families get along. But ever since the most tragic night of her life, Elena and Damon cannot stand the sight of one another. "Please tell me I'm not too late," he pleads desperately. "You are," she concedes. "Please-" "Don't," Elena cuts him off. "I needed you the most and you weren't there. You're never there," Elena cries.
1. Start of Summer

**Author's Note-So this story is a little different. I thought I would delve into a genre I haven't wrote about before. There is no supernatural things in this-all human. Please let me know if you like this and if I should continue my crazy idea of putting The Vampire Diaries cast in high school.**

* * *

Bracing his body and letting out a small, annoyed grunt, Damon rolls his eyes at his brother who is currently taking his sweet time trying to grab an apple from the fruit bowl sitting on their table while holding half the weight of six folded tables. Damon is stuck holding the other half as he props the sliding glass door open with his hip.

If he wasn't built from playing football he would have dropped the tables already.

"Seriously Stef?" Damon snarls. "We would have had the tables set up outside and a snack in your mouth by this time already."

Damon is the older of the two, but both boys are going to be seniors that year. Unlike Stefan who doesn't care to be in the spotlight that much, Damon owns North High. He is captain of the football team, winning state the year before because of the touchdown he made. His ice blue eyes attract the attention of the opposite sex, and he's pretty sure that they even attract the same sex who swing that way. His arms fill out his black v-neck that he wears, leading to his built shoulders that flex with every move. His chest is completely devoid of hair, leading down to a chiseled six pack that he worked hard for the previous summers.

With good looks come a big attitude, smart mouth, and cocky personality. He knows that he's king of the school. Every girl wants to be with him, and every guy thinks that he's awesome. People cherish the ground that he walks on and Damon takes full advantage of that. He uses the excuse of working late and practicing hard in order to turn in assignments late. His parents trust him to the point where he drinks nearly every weekend with his brother and their friends. Not to mention, he has been with too many girls to count because they throw themselves at him every party.

Stefan successfully grips an apple with his teeth and nods to Damon to let him know that he can move again.

Although they are related, Stefan is more subtle than Damon. He is built similarly, but he is graced with piercing green eyes and semi wavy brown hair. His attitude is laid back and he'd rather be in the background compared to Damon who uses his charm to smitten everyone.

Just as they are about to pass through the door their mother, Lily Salvatore, enters with seven grocery bags hanging off her wrists with Giuseppe Salvatore not too far behind with his arms full too.

"Really Stefan?" Lily snickers. "You look like the pig we're going to roast later today," she jokes.

Before Stefan can even try to retort Damon has them moving outside to drop the heavy load.

Currently, all four Salvatores are setting up for their annual Memorial Day Party slash end of the school year party. This is the party that takes place at the end of May even though there are still technically two more weeks of school left. However, this party is a big deal because the family's friends all gather together in celebration.

It is even a bigger celebration that year because Damon and Stefan are both going into their senior year of high school along with every other one of their friends.

"Can you believe they're both leaving in a year?" Lily asks Giuseppe as they stand and watch their two boys goofing around the backyard instead of setting up.

Giuseppe chuckles as Stefan squirts Damon with the cold water hose. "I can't believe that we have made it nearly eighteen years in this house with two destructive boys."

Lily and Giuseppe were graced with Damon when he was born back in June of 1998. They loved him so much as a baby that they didn't wait long to start conceiving again. She was pregnant with Stefan five months later and Stefan was born in August of 1999. Instead of separating the boys with schooling, they enrolled Damon at the normal age, however, they had Stefan tested and enrolled him too. Stefan is the youngest student in the senior class, having to wait a whole year before he turns eighteen.

There's a knock on the front door before Lily smiles at the two women who have just entered baring trays of veggies and fruit.

"Thank you Giuseppe," Miranda says the moment he takes the three trays out of her arms.

"On the counter is fine, Elena," Lily guides as Elena listens to the older woman who is practically like a second mother.

If Damon is the king of North High then Elena is the queen of South High. Her naturally tan skin coats her gracious body. She was given good genes, and has stayed in shape due to running track every spring. With long brown hair that flows down her back, her brown doe eyes stand out and make her look like an angel.

She's queen of South High because all the guys can't help but notice just how hot she looks with her small, fit body while the girls all want to be her friend because Elena is the most loyal companion. Although she's one of the nicest people, she is also full of spirit and fun.

"There's just something about this party that just gets me in the mood for summer," Miranda smiles.

"Beer?" Giuseppe asks while taking out three bottles from the fridge and passing one to each mother.

"I heard you have an interview lined up at the Lockwood Resort?" Lily asks Elena. "Stefan mentioned it the other day."

"Yah. I figured I'd make more money there than babysitting this summer."

Elena looks around and wonders where Stefan is. Usually the moment she walks through the door he is down by her side, but he is nowhere to be seen. Briefly hearing that Giuseppe is in a conversation with Miranda about college applications, Elena shifts her attention back to Lily who is saying something about Damon and Stefan.

"Wait? Damon is applying too?" Elena cuts in. Dread starts to fill her stomach the moment she thinks about actually having to work with Damon for the whole summer. And then the anger and disgust settle and she tries to keep herself from cringing in front of Lily. "I thought he was busing at The Grill?"

"All the college students came back for the summer and they don't need that much help for the season. He thought he would be able to just lounge around by the pool all summer but Giuseppe put a stop to that thought right away," Lily whispers as if it's some huge secret.

Elena snorts at the idea of Damon thinking he was going to have an easy summer. Of course the football star thought he could be lazy the whole time while everyone else worked their asses off to save for school.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that in order to get with Lexi you have to stop whining and stop acting like you have a vagina," Damon is preaching to Stefan as they walk back into the house.

"Language!" Lily and Giuseppe both scold.

Damon turns around to look in front of himself and for the first time notices Miranda. He has the decency to bow his head a little, rub the back of his neck, and blush slightly. "Hey," he mumbles.

"Hello Damon, Stefan," Miranda greets easily. If Lily is like a second mother to Elena, then Miranda is their second mother.

The two families have known each other for twenty years. Ever since Grayson and Miranda moved back to Mystic Falls, rejoined the founding council, they had grown close to Lily and Giuseppe. They had all been close in age, both newlyweds, and both trying to conceive.

A year later, both women announced they were pregnant. Lily with Damon and Miranda with Elena.

Damon strips off his wet t-shirt and throws it in Stefan's face. It's his fault he's soaked in the first place, and so Damon doesn't feel bad when Stefan hisses at him and snaps the shirt back.

"Seriously Damon?" Stefan complains.

Damon just smirks while walking away from the crowded room. He has to get another shirt before more people arrive. They were expecting around one hundred people to be occupying their backyard that evening.

And then as he leaves he does the one thing he doesn't even have to think about. His shoulder collides with Elena's—a gentle nudge that the parents won't really notice as they go back to drinking their beer and preparing food, but a nudge hard enough to irritate the brunette.

"Oops," Damon smirks as his eyes drink her in.

It's fun pushing her buttons and so he gives her a once over with flirty eyes. He knows that Elena cannot stand it and often labels him as a playboy whore, and so he pushes her until she can't stand to be in the same room as him.

They are like water and oil, causing rifts and arguments.

Elena doesn't even have to say anything to get him angry anymore. Instead, all she has to do is stand there in his kitchen wearing a little white dress that shows off her naturally tan skin to irk him.

"Come on Elena," Stefan grabs her hand like the white knight that he is. "You can help me set up the rest of the tables outside."

Damon watches as she and Stefan ease into one another with a comfort of being longtime best friends. He remembers briefly when he used to be able to joke around with Elena like that. They had been close, but not like she and Stefan. No, not at all. His relationship with her was completely different, and now they can't stand to be in the same room as one another.

* * *

By now, Elena has mastered the smile that tells people that she is fine. She says the perfect words—has the perfect tone even. She never used to think that she would get used to people, who barely knew her or her family, asking if she is doing okay, or become used to the idea of people telling her that she is lucky to be alive, but after nearly a year she is a master. However, when the third person that day had come over to her just to offer their grievances…again…she is about to lose it.

"Do I really look that pathetic that people feel like they should pity me?" Elena moans as she slips into a spot on the ground in between Bonnie and Caroline.

"Is this a trick question?" Tyler Lockwood asks with a smirk.

"Tyler!" Both girls chide.

"Who was it this time?" Matt asks.

"Mrs. Fell," Elena grumbles, but she's determined not to let the town ruin her good mood.

"They stop eventually," Caroline comforts. She didn't technically lose her father, and she doesn't have any siblings to lose, but she does know what it's like to have her father announce that he's gay and then move far away. "Once something new happens they all focus on that."

"Hey Sexy." Elena feels two arms touch her shoulders, and someone crouching behind her. She rolls her eyes and moves over for Mason Lockwood to sit down. "One of these days you're going to realize you want me, Gilbert."

"When that happens it'll be the day I drop dead," Bonnie jokes.

Elena listens to her friends all bantering and eating food while enjoying the sun's beautiful sunlight. She looks for her mom who is mingling with other parents, all scattered around the Salvatore's backyard.

Over in the corner she sees Lily running around trying to keep all the food stocked, the younger kids are swimming in the pool, Stefan is talking to Lexi (a girl who is one year younger than them all), and then her eyes spot Damon leaning against the garage with his arms caged around Andie Starr.

She can see his arrogant smirk, his cockiness radiating from him. In ways, Mason and Damon are exactly the same. The only difference is that she used to be friends with Damon and now she can't stand him. Also the fact that Mason has had a crush on her since starting high school nearly three years ago while Damon thinks she is a bitch.

"Please tell me he isn't trying to sleep with Starr. That girl is crazy," Alaric Saltzman says while plopping down next to Elena.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Caroline huffs. "He'll sleep with anyone who wears a skirt."

"You're gonna have to get over that Care," Matt says while chuckling at how the blonde is pouting. "You're head cheerleader at North High; he's football captain. You're gonna have to be on prom and homecoming court with him."

"It's not the fact that it's slimy and disgusting, but rather a bad reputation. He's our friend who is a man whore. And I don't want to have to appear on homecoming court this year escorted by some guy who may or may not get herpes from Starr."

"We're lucky we go to South," Mason whispers to Elena. He taps his shoulder with hers and although Elena feels bad in the pit of her stomach—it's obvious Mason wants more with her—but she just doesn't feel that way about him.

"That is a plus," Elena agrees.

Their town is so big that they have two high schools on each side of town. Half the kids go to South High while the other half go to North High. Elena and Damon are both lucky that they go to separate schools so they don't have to put up with one another every day.

"Maybe I'll just transfer to South to be with Bonnie and Elena," Caroline grumbles before smiling down at her phone. "And just confirmed, I was able to track down a DJ for the summer kickoff party in two weeks. You guys better all be coming still," she warns.

"If we didn't show you'd kill us Barbie," Mason jokes and Elena swats his arm. "Ow! You know it's true."

"You don't have to voice it out loud."

Stefan walks over to the group with a serious frown on his face. "What's wrong?" Elena immediately asks.

Stefan gives Elena a look that says that they will talk late, but musters a small smile for the group. Stefan and Elena had always been best friends. There had been rumors for a while that they were dating, but the two quickly killed that rumor by going on dates with other people. Sure, they had gone to a few dances together, but they had never so much as kissed each other. The furthest thing they have done is hugged one another.

"Lexi is moving once school gets out," he decides to say.

"I'm sorry Stefan," Bonnie immediately coos.

"Tough luck man," Tyler adds also.

Just then, Damon walks by with his arm around Andie. Andie is in their class, but she doesn't typically hang out with their group of friends. Elena knows that Andie goes to North High so she hasn't had many opportunities to talk to the girl, however, since Andie is letting Damon touch her says that she isn't a good judge of character.

"I can feel your eyes drilling two holes into my head, Gilbert," Damon growls before turning his smirk towards Stefan. "Dude, it looks like someone shot your puppy."

Elena scoffs at that remark. "Can't you be sympathetic for once and just leave him alone when you see him upset? Or do you constantly need to talk because you love your voice so much?"

"Guys," Matt interrupts. "Maybe now isn't the time."

"Really guys," Caroline agrees.

Damon narrows his eyes while untangling his arm from Andie. "Does it hurt Gilbert?"

"Excuse me?"

"Always having a stick up your ass and thinking that you're better than everyone else?"

Elena stands up and their friends watch cautiously.

"Damon," Alaric warns with a scowl.

"It only flares up when I'm around psychotic, man sluts like you!"

"Well I aim to please," Damon smiles cockily before putting his arm back around Andie and leading her towards his house.

Elena scowls in disgust. She knows he is taking her inside to fuck. She wonders briefly how he can do that knowing that his backyard is filled with all the neighbors and family friends. But she doesn't let her mind wonder for too long before she distracts herself once more by Caroline and talk of the party she is throwing.


	2. Little White Bikini

**Author's Note-You guys are AMAZING! Six reviews in only a span of a day blows my mind. I didn't think anyone would like this story, but I figured I'd give it a shot because I love teenage romance/drama, and I love Elena and Damon.**

 **In this chapter the italics are obviously flashbacks because I love creating moments that happened between them and then regular font is obviously present day. Let me know what you think!**

* * *

 _Elena walks up the path to the Salvatore mansion. It seems every house in their neighborhood has a similar build. One long driveway that winds up to a massive front door, at least four bedrooms with three bathrooms, a kitchen filled with stainless steel appliances, and an enormous backyard that the Salvatores were finally able to convince Giuseppe to fill with a pool_

 _It was already the end of September, the temperatures should be dropping soon, but global warming was in full effect and the temperature is hot. Plain hot. Ninety degrees with sweltering heat that makes school unbearable-hot._

 _Elena usually loves school. It's the place that she gets to see half of her friends while the other half attend North High. The friends that go to North High she is able to see after school and on the weekends-like Stefan and Damon._

 _Although they are only separated by one house, that house just happens to be the borderline for schools. Elena's house falls right on the edge of the South border. If her dad wasn't so adamant that she go to South to make 'new friends' and not just guy friends then she would have enrolled at North. Not that her father didn't love Damon and Stefan like his own two sons, but he wanted Elena to have variety._

 _And now she is on the cheerleading squad, making friends with girls who she never would have talked to before, and the coach who is in charge of cheerleading already has her eye on her for track that following Spring._

 _Adjusting her shoulder bag she swipes at the moisture gathering on her forehead. Even though she was barely wearing clothes-only a sun dress with a bikini underneath-she is melting._

 _A small smile graces her face as she thinks about the swim suit she's wearing. Her mother bought it with her, making Elena promise that she won't tell her father just yet or else he would never let her wear it; especially around Damon. Elena doesn't know why it's just Damon that her father is concerned about, since it really is Stefan that everyone says she's going to end up marrying, but Elena brushes it off. She's gone swimming with both of them before in a two piece, but this time she feels more confident than before._

 _For the first time, she knows she actually does look great in it. No longer an awkward teenager who is just beginning to get breasts. And now because of cheerleading practice her stomach is nice and toned. Her body is developing nicely and she wants to show off for once._

 _"Took you long enough!" Stefan calls out from the pool; already lounging on a blow up tube with sunglasses on._

 _Elena walks up the porch deck stairs and places her bag on a glass table. Giuseppe Salvatore doesn't waste money, teaching Damon and Stefan at a young age they have to work for what they want to spend, however when he does spend money, Giuseppe makes it worth it. Everything they added to their backyard that summer has Lily's elegance and great taste._

 _She instantly notices that Damon isn't there. "Where's the other one?" She calls out while slowly drawing her dress over her head._

 _Elena can feel Stefan's green eyes pass over her body, and when she drops her dress carelessly on the wooden deck she pops her hip and rests her hand on her waist, waiting for Stefan to pick his jaw up from the floor._

 _Her tan is still vibrant on her body and the pure white of her suit makes her skin glow even more. Her hair is in a messy bun atop her head, showing off more of her neck compared to having her hair down and shielding her._

 _"Well?" She smirks._

 _Stefan seems to shake out of it once he realizes that he's staring at his best friend like a creep. He blushes instantly and looks down at the water for a moment before collecting himself._

 _"The other one's right here," Damon answers, calling out from the back sliding door and when Elena turns she can see that he's carrying a black tray filled with cold sodas and water bottles. "At your service, m'lady," he charms smoothly._

 _Damon is three months into being fifteen whereas Stefan had just turned fourteen the month before. Although they are all in the same grade, it's apparent that Damon is more comfortable being flirty with girls rather than Stefan who bashfully smiles._

 _And when Elena turns she herself blushes at the intense look that is clouding Damon's face. She was expecting to tease him a little. He likes to take jabs at her anytime he can, and so teasing him for once was going to be fun. Yet, his hardened eyes make her throat close up and any witty comment she was going to make dies on her tongue._

 _She isn't the only one who developed into their body over the summer. Damon may only be a freshmen but he is on the varsity football team as their backup running back. The coach says that if he works hard, Damon will be starting mid-season already. His body shows off his hard work, a six pack already forming and an outline of a 'v' leading below his dark blue swim trunks is apparent._

 _"Like what you see, Gilbert," he smirks easily and it's his cockiness that has Elena snapping out of it and rolling her eyes. She crosses her arms, and unbeknownst to her, she's just showing Damon more of her cleavage._

 _"You wish," she retorts saucily before running along the deck and making a perfect dive into the deep end. She purposefully splashes Stefan when she resurfaces._

 _She might have played it cool with Damon, but at the same time she really wants to tell him that she actually does like looking at his body. However, Elena doesn't think that would bode too well with her because if Damon ever found out that she has even the tiniest crush on him then he wouldn't let her hear the end of it._

 _And it isn't like she is even looking for a boyfriend at the time. She has just started her first year of high school, made new friends, and is currently doing well in new classes. She doesn't need to add a boyfriend to her list of things to do quite yet, and she definitely isn't going to be a loose girl-the type of girl Alaric and Damon mention._

 _"Boo," Damon whispers in her ear the moment he dives into the pool also. He had swum up behind her, and placed his hands on her lower hips, right above the hem of her bottoms._

 _This is new for them._

 _Water drips down from his hair onto her shoulder and she can feel his chest mold against her back. This is the first time that her body has touched this much of a male before. Elena decides her dad doesn't count since he's her father and it's normal for her dad to give her hugs. But nothing about Damon touching her is innocent in that moment._

 _"What are you doing?" She whispers so Stefan cannot hear. When she looks at the younger boy she sees that he's across the pool with his eyes shut and headphones in. He's listening to his ipod in the pool. He'll be lucky if he doesn't drop it._

 _"Do I make you nervous?" Damon asks._

 _Does he? Sure he does when she knows that she only wore a swimsuit to get a response out of him. She knows that he's getting to that age where he's trading in posters of cars for posters of naked women on them, they're all curious about parties and drinking, and the aspect of dating is new territory for basically everyone. Elena doesn't count dating Matt the year before in eighth grade because all that happened is Matt calling her every night to talk and going to the movies with their friends. Matt would hold her hand and for the one month they did date Elena had kissed him three times. It wasn't much._

 _But she knew Damon was kissing girls. She had heard two different girls talking about kissing Damon in the bathroom. A feeling unknown to Elena had made itself known but she quickly got over it as Stefan and she laughed at the gossip. She doesn't care who Damon kissed._

 _"I think I make you nervous," Elena finally says just to ease the tension between them. This obviously wasn't what he was expecting and so she has the chance to turn around to face him and push him beneath the unsuspecting water._

 _When Damon emerges he grins at her and like a light switch, they re back to being just friends. There is no intensity and no lingering stares. Instead, he swims after her and dunks her with ease. They go back and forth like that until Elena's mom calls her home._

* * *

Elena wants to roll her eyes as she, Bonnie, and Caroline are all riding over to the Lockwood Resort for their job interviews. It isn't the fact that she's in the backseat that has her bothered. In fact, she's glad that she's behind Bonnie so that way Caroline cannot see how disturbed she really is.

"You want to really discuss this now?" Elena groans with a slight attitude. But she really doesn't have to listen to the blonde an more because Caroline is telling her exactly what everyone tells her at South High: that she should be dating Mason or at least giving him a chance.

"You two are perfect for each other," she quips as she pulls smoothly into a parking space. The girls have been to the resort only a few times—mostly because they were either guests of Tyler or Mason.

Mason and Tyler are cousins, their fathers owned the spa and summer club together.

"Maybe there is someone else," Bonnie suggests thoughtfully.

"Believe me," Elena insists while exiting the vehicle. "If there were anyone else then I would tell you guys. But honestly, who else would I be dating?"

"There's always Stefan," Bonnie says.

Just that thought alone makes Elena shiver uncomfortably. She and Stefan are friends. That's it. Nothing more and nothing less.

"I don't know why you two are concerned with who I'm dating. It's Bonnie that is dancing around Matt."

Caroline laughs as a blush heats Bonnie's face.

"Hey!" Bonnie exclaims as they start to enter the lobby. "I wouldn't be laughing too hard since you're going to have your hands full with Klaus coming back this summer and the fact that Tyler is madly in love with you. Those two guys have it bad for you."

Caroline stops laughing and realizes that her friend is right. Elena smirks at how Bonnie can make anyone quiet when provoked. She is the reason of their group of friends, and she sees things that most kids don't. That is why she's able to point out flaws like that and make them all see reality.

"You're going to have to make a decision between them—or at least tell Klaus that you moved on from him," Elena adds.

"He should already know that I moved on. He went away to college, he probably has slept with more girls than I can count, so he can't exactly expect that I waited for him."

Elena straightens her modest dress that she is wearing. It is navy blue, goes down to her knees, and she is wearing a white cardigan with it. For shoes she had decided to go with nude flats to stay comfortable. She wants to look casual, but also dressed for the job she's sure to get. They are almost all guaranteed jobs due to knowing the owners for their whole lives.

"Hey Ladies," Mason greets as he saunters away from Stefan who is slowly following behind and smiles massively at Elena. He opens his arms for a hug which Elena steps into. She lets go after a short amount of time even though she can tell that Mason is slightly put off by that. "Ready for your interviews?"

"It's really not that bad," Stefan says. "I just got out of mine five minutes ago and Damon should be finishing up. Ric is here too, but he just started his interview when I left mine."

"I still don't know why my dad is bothering with an interview," Mason snips.

"Because he's our friend?" Tyler supplies. Mason may not get along with Damon and vice versa, but everyone else did.

"Did you get a job?" Elena asks Stefan with excitement.

She feels his eyes on her and a grin slowly breaks onto his face. She has known Stefan long enough to know what he's about to say and before he can tell them she hugs him in excitement. Her arms wrap around his neck and he places his hands on her lower back, crushing her to him.

"Congratulations!" Elena wishes as everyone else joins in. He's the first to receive a job and soon they will all be working together.

"I'm so jealous," Bonnie complains. "You and Elena will be out by the pool everyday getting tan while I will be stuck inside playing the piano for guests."

"You'll get tips," Elena reminds her.

"Thanks for this opportunity. I won't let you down," Damon's voice echoes throughout the waiting area and Elena rolls her eyes at how fake he sounds while shaking hands with George Lockwood, Mason's father.

"That's good to hear Damon. And if you're anything like your old man I'm sure I won't be disappointed with your work ethics," George says as a goodbye before turning to the group of friends Damon is walking towards. "Elena, dear, just give me five minutes to finish some paperwork and I'll be right with you."

"Don't worry," Damon snickers once he's gone. "I told him _wonderful_ things about you."

She can sense the teasing in Damon's tone mixed with sarcasm, but she bites her tongue.

"So who's up for a game of basketball?" Tyler interrupts before Damon decides to push Elena further.

"Good idea," Stefan says. "Good luck girls, but seriously, easiest interview ever."

"Hey," Mason says grabbing onto Elena's hand and pulling her off to the side for a minute. Elena glances at Bonnie and Caroline who share shocked and confused faces also, meaning they have no idea what Mason wants, but she's soon to find out.

"What's up?" Elena asks. He doesn't drop her hand, but instead she feels him lace their fingers together and immediately she goes to untangle herself from him. The last thing she needs is George Lockwood to walk out to get her and see her tangled up with his son.

"Do you think we can meet up later today? Like for dinner?" Mason's blue eyes are dull compared to the blue eyes that still haunt Elena's dreams from time to time. He has been her friend for a while now, and even though she always refutes his idea to dating, she still wants to be close to him because he makes a good shoulder to lean on. "Please?"

Elena can feel their friends watching. She wonders briefly if they can hear what Mason had just asked or if any of them knew Mason was asking her to dinner that night. It isn't uncommon for them to grab bites to eat with one another, but something about the hopeful expression on his face makes Elena really think about if she wants to go or not. It's obvious this is very important to Mason.

"I have something I want to talk to you about," he adds.

Two blue eyes are piercing the back of her head and she knows exactly who they belong too. Damon is watching her every move and hanging onto every word being said. She's silently surprised that Damon hasn't said a rude word to antagonize Mason yet.

"Sure. I didn't drive here so we can go after I'm done with my interview."

"Great," Mason says ecstatically. Elena can tell he wants to do a victory fist pump but he refrains and instead the smile on his tan face never wavers. "Come find me on the courts outback when you're ready."

"Elena," George calls.

Walking confidently, she shakes hands with George and enters his office. This was the start to her summer, and regardless of Damon working at the resort or not, it is going to be the best summer yet.

* * *

"I cannot wait until Wednesday night," Damon states as he jumps and lets go of the orange ball to watch it sail effortlessly into the hoop with nothing but net. "Caroline's party is just what we need. It's time to get laid again," he says cockily.

"Amen to that," Alaric agrees while rebounding the ball. He had just finished his interview also and it seemed George and Richard was hiring everyone on the spot. "I'm glad I start work Thursday evening so I don't have to show up hungover."

"You two are going to waste your whole summer being drunk and sleeping around," Stefan points out.

Damon just gives his brother a 'so what' look. It doesn't surprise him that Stefan thinks that way. His brother is too much into romance and staying with one girl to think the way that he and Alaric do about chicks.

"Awe, buck up man," Tyler insists. "There will be other girls like Lexi. Other, smarter…hotter…women like Lexi."

Stefan dribbles for a second before going in for a layup. The boys are just messing around outside before actually starting a pickup game.

"I'm going to be the only single guy this summer—Damon and Ric don't count if they continue to sleep with the whole female population," he explains.

"Not the _whole_ female population. You couldn't pay me enough to be with Gilbert." Damon grabs the ball right from Alaric, receiving a dirty look from his best friend, before he shoots a nice three pointer.

Damon may be featured at the star football player, but overall he is pretty athletic. He just chooses to concentrate on one sport in hopes that the scouts who saw him play previous years offer him a scholarship for college. Unlike Stefan who plays baseball and football, not really caring if he receives an athletic scholarship or not. He doesn't want to play in college.

"I don't get your problem with her. You used to be best friends." Alaric jumps just as Tyler goes to shoot the ball, and blocks him effectively. "Plus she's hot in a sisterly way."

"Mason's still single. You guys can be wingmen to each other or something," Tyler suggests.

Mason had been unusually quiet, Damon notes. It's not like Lockwood to keep his mouth shut and Damon knows it has something to do with how he asked Elena to dinner earlier. It doesn't bug him, Damon tells himself, but Mason acts as if he owns Elena whenever any guy talks about her. And it irks him because even though he doesn't like her, he knows well enough that no one really owns her.

"Not for long," he reveals finally and Damon wants to ram his jaw into Mason's throat so he doesn't have to hear him talk about this.

Not bothering to stick around the group of guys to gossip, he leaves the cement court and opts to sit on the ground and take a chug of his water bottle. His shirt is the next thing to leave his body and he smirks in the directions of two female college students who are passing by. He sees one of them blush and he smirks at her.

Working at the resort over the summer is going to be good for his sex drive, that is for sure.

"I'm taking Elena to dinner tonight. I'm going to ask her to be my girlfriend," Mason says.

"It's about time!" Tyler exclaims.

Damon can't help but snort. He's heard people talking even at his school about how Elena and Mason are perfect for each other. Personally, Damon doesn't understand why because Mason is a total prick.

Alaric pats Mason on the back. "Congrats man. It's been a long time coming."

Damon shakes his head and is at least a little proud that his own brother doesn't seem to be that supportive of the idea. If there is anyone on the planet that understands Elena better than Damon than that person would be Stefan.

"As long as she's ready," Stefan finally concedes.

"Dude," Mason says, "It's been two years. She's ready. It's going to be the summer of Elena and Mason."

"It's not like she's getting over a guy she dated," Stefan points out. "She was in a car accident with her father and brother. They died; she didn't. That messes people up."

"I know that," Mason is getting frustrated now. "And what's the face for Salvatore?"

Damon doesn't even know that he's making a face and it takes him a moment to realize that his eyes are narrowed and his grip on the green Gatorade bottle is tight; so tight that his knuckles are white. He tosses his drink down and stands up, the sun feeling good on his back.

"No look. Just trying to figure out why she would want to date someone like you," Damon says casually.

"Well if she can fall for someone like you freshmen year than she can certainly fall for me. After all," Mason stands nose to nose with Damon, "I'm much better than you. It won't take long before Elena realizes she wasted her time with you."

Damon doesn't think when he pulls his fist back and throws a punch to Mason's face. In that moment, it doesn't matter that he was just hired to work at the resort that Mason's father owns, it doesn't matter that he's friends with Mason's cousin, and it certainly doesn't matter to Damon that Mason was talking about dating Elena.

He tries to convince himself as Mason retaliates that he didn't hit Mason because of Elena. No, he hit Mason because he's a dick who needs to be put in his cocky place.

It wasn't for Elena, Damon says over and over again to himself.


	3. Just Some Girl

**So a couple of you guys said that you really like the flashbacks, and this chapter I just so happened planned on doing another one. I'm not saying all chapters will have flashbacks, but a lot of them will. If you guys have any questions about my story, the characters, or plot just ask me in a review and I'll answer them best to my abilities.**

 **And by the way, you guys rock for reviewing and following my story. I seriously doubted anyone would care to read about this. You guys prove me wrong each chapter!**

* * *

 _Damon throws his duffel bag into the corner of his room, not caring that it hits the wall with a loud thud or that Stefan in the next room over could probably hear him. Damon doesn't care that his dad will be upset if he breaks something or if his mom will be disappointed in his behavior._

 _It doesn't seem like anything matters anymore because in that moment anger courses through his veins like an unbearable poison. The trophies sitting on a built in shelf shake a little with the impact of his bag hitting below them. The picture frame at the end of the shelf rattles a little too, and that just makes Damon scowl even more because in that picture is him and Elena. The picture was taken at the last founding family event._

 _They all had to dress up formally and his mother had captured the one dance they had shared together on camera. If he was with anyone else in that picture he would have been embarrassed, but he was with Elena. His hand was resting on her lower waist, his other hand connected with hers. It was a slow dance, and they had only eyes for each other. In ways, it should gross him out. He had always thought of her like a sister, but that year especially he's noticing her more than anything._

 _Which is how he ended up in his room with a pissed off attitude._

" _Jesus," Stefan walks into Damon's room through the bathroom that they share. "What's got your panties in a bunch? You've been in a bad mood all afternoon."_

" _Get out," Damon snarls as he chucks a pillow at Stefan who is standing in the doorway._

 _Stefan is staring at Damon though and he can practically feel Stefan's mind thinking through all the possibilities on why he could be upset._

" _Is this because of what Caroline said at lunch? About homecoming in a week?" Stefan asks. When Damon doesn't respond Stefan starts chuckling a little. This makes Damon's blood boil. "So what if Elena is going with Mason. She has every right too," Stefan points out. "He goes to her school, they hang out, he likes her…" Stefan trails off and Damon waits for it to hit his brother._

 _Damon scowls as Stefan's eyes go wide. "You like Elena," he accuses._

" _I don't," Damon denies. "She's my best friend…besides Ric. And Lockwood's a prick. I don't even know what possessed her to say yes," Damon tries to convince Stefan. The last thing he needs is Stefan to tease him for liking Elena._

" _She probably said yes because you didn't ask her. And besides, if you did ask her, then she would have to come to our school and not her own."_

 _A silence settles over the two brothers and Damon takes this time to calm down a little. He is in a shitty mood because of what he heard at lunch time about Elena saying yes to Mason. Damon wasn't expecting that. He had a plan to ask Elena, but every time he tried to after school they were never alone._

 _And he would never admit out loud to anyone that he wanted to ask her. That would only cause people to tease him about his crush when Damon Salvatore doesn't do crushes. He likes to kiss girls, make out with them, but never does he feel anything for them._

 _Elena is different though. He wouldn't be able to use her for his pleasure. Instead, he wants to dance with her, hold her hand, and get her punch that will probably be spiked. He wants to talk to her, show her off to his friends, and give her a perfect night. Instead, he has to hear from Caroline that Mason asked Elena to homecoming._

 _Damon doesn't even hear Stefan leave until his door leading to the bathroom shuts._

" _Wow," Elena's voice reaches his ears and Damon whips his head towards her. She is standing in his doorway wearing her cheerleading uniform. It was a Friday and all cheerleaders were expected to wear their uniforms on spirit days. The top settled under her breasts, the skirt resting around her belly button, and a smooth strip of skin teases Damon and nearly all the boys at her school._

" _That was a pretty dramatic exit," she jokes while walking into Damon's room. She sits on the end of his bed and bumps her shoulder against his._

 _Before that year Damon wouldn't have thought twice about having Elena in his room. He really didn't get nervous around anyone but her, and now all of a sudden every move he makes around her he is double thinking._

" _Well you know Stef," Damon jokes lamely, "Always one for the dramatics."_

 _Elena is giving him a weird look as her eyes crinkle and her nose scrunches up slightly. "Are you okay? You don't sound good."_

" _Gee, thanks Elena. Way to compliment a guy when he's down."_

" _Damon," she murmurs with a sigh. "I think we need to talk."_

 _Damon stands up abruptly just to create space between him and Elena. "I've heard enough today, so we really don't have to talk. In fact, I think you should go. Maybe find someone else to talk to, like Lockwood."_

 _Elena stands up now and puts her hands on her waist. "I knew that's why you weren't returning any of my texts today. You heard he asked me to homecoming and you're upset because you two are always in a pissing contest."_

" _So it is true," Damon accuses. "You are going with him. God, I thought you had more brains than that Elena. The guy is a total arrogant prick."_

" _Pot calling kettle black, Damon." Elena runs her hand through her hair and shakes her head as she watches him with her dark brown eyes. "And for your information, I didn't say yes."_

" _I may be arrogant but—" Damon stops and looks at her with wide eyes. "What?"_

" _I didn't say yes," Elena grits out. She walks further towards Damon and pokes him in the chest. "But thanks for basically saying that I was stupid if I did go with a guy who actually wants to go with me."_

" _Why didn't you say yes?"_

" _Because," she exclaims as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, but not to Damon. He is completely lost in her while she pokes him again and again until he's backing up towards his window. "Because I am an idiot and want to go with someone else."_

 _Oh great, Damon thinks to himself, there's another guy he's going to have to hate._

" _Yah? And who's that?" He challenges._

" _Turn around." Elena crosses her arms and smirks as he does like a soldier and he can't believe what he sees in his backyard._

 _Painted on the grass below in white paint that is used on football fields is the word 'Prom?'._

" _I want to go with you and since Stefan said you've turned down every girl that's asked you I figured I'd give it a shot because you are too lazy to ask me."_

" _I was going to…eventually," he mumbles._

" _So is that a yes?" Elena asks with attitude._

 _Damon grins and wraps his arms around her. "That is definitely a yes."_

* * *

Elena is walking out of the women's bathroom at the club when she literally bumps into someone who is shirtless and sweaty. Her face smacks against their hard chest and she's momentarily stunned and mortified.

"I am so so—" looking up she sees that it's Damon and she stops apologizing right away. Taking in his disheveled form she sees that there is a cut right above his right eye brow, grass stains on his shorts, and the shirt that he should have been wearing is wrapped around his fist most likely because his skin was cut on the knuckle due to punching someone.

"Seriously," Elena asks. "You literally just get a job and already you're starting fights?"

Damon narrows his eyes and gives her an insincere smile. "I'm alright, thank you for asking 'Lena," Damon says with fake sweetness. "Now move so I can go clean up."

He motions towards the guys locker room that she is currently blocking with her body. Elena looks behind herself and takes a step to the side for Damon to pass by.

"You don't get to call me by a nickname, got it?" she warns.

Instead of responding, Damon goes to walk past her. But before he enters the room he stops with his back facing her. A pompous smile is on his face as he turns slightly to look at her. "By the way, your boyfriend fights dirty."

With those last words Elena's jaw drops open as she watches Damon disappear behind the swinging door. How dare he start a fight with Mason? She may not know what happened but she can almost guarantee that it was Damon who started it. And secondly, he can't label Mason as her boyfriend because they aren't dating. She's tired of everyone saying that they should.

She knows that Damon only said that to get under her skin and it's working. Pushing open the door she storms in; not caring that she could probably get into trouble.

"You son of a bitch," Elena yells, making Damon jump a little as he stares at her through the mirror. His back is to her, he's washing his knuckles, and for a moment Elena watches the water turning red after hitting Damon's skin. "You know he's not my boyfriend."

"Yah," Damon snorts while grabbing paper toweling and drying off his injured hands.

Good thing he's not in football season, Elena notes, because his coach wouldn't be happy. But she doesn't care whether his coach is happy or not. She shouldn't be thankful.

"Keep telling yourself that princess," Damon mocks as he sits down on the bench. This is the first time Elena sees the first aid kit, opened and ready to be utilized.

She crosses her arms against her chest and narrows her eyes. "Stop calling me names," she warns. "You don't get to use nicknames, pet names, anything. In fact, don't call me anything. Don't address me at all. Got it?"

"Fine by me," Damon hisses. Elena watches as he opens a band aid and halfheartedly puts it over the cut on his forehead. She knows he hasn't cleaned the cut properly and she's pretty sure he put it directly on the cut and not over it. It's going to hurt when he has to change the band aid.

"Jesus," she swears with an eye roll. Walking over to the sink, she cleans her hands before sitting across from Damon on the bench. "It's like you've never had to take care of a cut before."

"What are you talking—Ow!" Damon yelps the moment Elena rips the thin strip off his delicate skin.

"You big baby," she scolds before scooting a little closer on the bench to be able to properly help him. She finds the disinfectant and starts to apply it in a thin layer over his cut. Damon flinches a little but for the most part he doesn't do anything.

Elena realizes this is the first time they have been this close in a while.

Before she knows what she is doing, she leans forward and blows lightly over the cut to help it dry faster before placing another band aid over the wound.

"There," she whispers, pulling back to see that Damon has his eyes closed. "That's how you do it. Now let's see those hands."

"I'm fine," Damon husks out.

"Seriously? You think bleeding knuckles is fine. Just let me do this and the sooner I can leave you alone." She doesn't know why she wants to help him, but it was obvious he needs it.

Damon finally relents and chuckles a little as she starts disinfecting his wounds. "What's so funny?" Elena asks. "And if you're going to make a comment about me in a nurses gown playing doctor with you then I don't want to know. Not going to happen."

"Please, I'd be the best you've ever had," he retorts.

"I don't know," she quips. "Stefan is pretty good between the sheets."

"What?" Damon growls.

She doesn't know why she made a joke like that and she definitely wasn't expecting that sort of reaction from Damon. It is a mixture between anger, shock, and maybe a little jealousy, but that is impossible. Damon would never get jealous of someone being with her because they don't like each other.

"You…and Stefan?" Damon chokes out.

"Oh yah," Elena keeps playing along with a smirk of her own. She's wrapping his hands now, his soft skin rubbing against her and for a moment she lets herself remember what it feels like to be wrapped in a hug by Damon Salvatore. "He's especially good when he does this thing with his tongue and…ugh," she finishes with a moan.

"Shoot me now," Damon deadpans.

Elena can't keep a serious face anymore and before she can stop herself she's laughing her ass off at Damon's bewildered expression. He's looking at her curiously now, and his eyes narrow the moment he realizes that she's been lying to him this whole time.

"Not funny," Damon snaps, taking his hands back and looking down at the handiwork she performed. "I don't need a mental image of Stefan doing anything like that…especially with _you_."

"What does that mean?" She demands; quickly offended.

He's looking at her like a deer caught in headlights, his mouth slightly hanging open. She places her hand on her hip and waits for an answer.

"Nothing, just…he's my brother and you're just some annoying girl I can't stand."

Elena stands up, feeling like she was just slapped. "Right," she consents, "I'm just some annoying girl."

Elena chides herself for thinking that they could actually do something nice for one another without actually insulting the other person. For a second she thought they were making a little progress, but she really couldn't or shouldn't have expected much. This is Damon after all. They can't even stand being in the same room as one another much less exchange civil words anymore.

"'Lena," he calls out and she wants to correct him, but doesn't bother. She has bigger battles with him.

"What?" She sighs.

"Lockwood is going to ask you out tonight."

"What?" She thinks her ears are playing tricks on her. Why would Damon Salvatore be telling her this?

"You didn't hear it from me, but," he hesitates, "I just thought you should know."

Elena doesn't say anything else. It wasn't even officially summer yet, three more days left of school, and already her vacation is complicated. She doesn't even know how to describe her moment with Damon in the bathroom and now she has Mason to turn down.

She should just swear off all guys all summer, she thinks while leaving Damon behind. It would be a lot easier for her. If only she knew her summer drama had just begun.

* * *

 **Should I continue? Let me know! Any guesses on what could be the problem between Damon and Elena? There is a slight hint in this chapter if you read between the lines :)**


	4. What Did He Have That I Don't?

**I cannot express how glad I am that you guys are responding so well to this story. Never in my dreams did I think people would actually like this concept.**

 **On a different note, I'm glad people took chances to guess why they thought Damon and Elena are on the outs...so far no one is correct. I can safely and confidently say that it's not because Damon or Elena cheated, and it's not because one thought they saw something and it's a huge misconception. Keep guessing though! I love hearing your thoughts!**

 **Also, Mason is Elena's friend, as well as everyone else's friend-but Damon's. He will be in this whole story, and although some might not like him this chapter, he's ultimately not a bad guy. I actually like his character and Elena likes him as a friend, so he's not going anywhere. And don't worry, I am not going to have Elena use Mason. She would never do that in this world.**

 **Review!**

* * *

"I want to change the world, instead I sleep.  
I want to believe in more than you and me.  
But all that I know is I'm breathing.  
All I can do is keep breathing.  
All we can do is keep breathing."

 _Ingrid Michaelson_

Elena parks her SUV about two blocks down from Caroline's house. There are cars littered everywhere in this neighborhood and for the first time she is glad that she lives twenty minutes from her friend rather than down the street. Her mother would not be exactly happy if she knew that Elena is at Caroline's drinking and dancing the night away.

It's not that her mother is oblivious, but they have a game going, where Miranda acts like she doesn't know where her kid is and Elena stays out of trouble for the most part.

"Yo Gilbert!" She hears someone shout from the distance. "Lookin' hot tonight!"

"Save a dance later!"

She hears greetings left and right as she walks past dozens of kids. Caroline's house is party central since her dad left and her mother is always working down at the station or the next town over due to being short on staff.

Elena glances down at her outfit one last time to make sure that she looks okay. She chose to wear white shorts that just about cover her ass, black strap sandals that look great and won't make her uncomfortable when she dances, and a black halter top that shows off her bare back. Her hair falls into loose curls around her face, and her makeup is light for the evening.

"We're seniors baby!" Boys are chanting as they rush around the yard, hands filled with red solo cups.

"Our time is here!" A guy yells while running up to her and spinning her around.

Elena laughs as she recognizes this guy as her school mascot at all the football games.

"Seniors rule!" Aaron screams while setting Elena down and fist pumping; clearly already drunk.

The night sky is pitch dark, a few stars scattered around the sky to give off a faint light. The moon is nowhere to be seen. Caroline truly outdid herself on this party because there are white Christmas lights hung all around the fence that blocks everyone from the street and prying neighbors that turn a blind eye to the party happening.

Sounds from water splashing can be heard and Elena knows that people are in the pool. She didn't bring her suit for this one yet because she knows that the temperature may drop still. Chants and laughter can be heard from kids her age about being seniors now. Both North and South were determined to be champions this year and Elena is just glad that there isn't too much of a rivalry between high schools.

As she pushes open the metal gate she's greeted by more people. There are her cheerleading friends huddled together and drinking a type of smoothie that is most likely spiked, some guys from the football team that she knows very well due to Mason, Tyler, and Alaric, and then she has even more friends from her classes playing various drinking games around the crowed pool deck.

"Elena!" Alaric is the one to break through the crowd first. He is standing with the rest of the gang; however she sees that Damon isn't with them. "How's my favorite Timberwolf?" He refers to their mascot of South High.

"Gee, thanks," Bonnie says sarcastically, but with a smile.

Alaric wraps his arms around her in greeting and she is instantly crushed against his chest. "Ready to save lives this summer?"

It is common knowledge now that Stefan, Elena, and Alaric were hired by George Lockwood to be his lifeguards that summer. Elena can't wait to work with her two best guy friends all season. They were sure to be fun.

Elena hugs him back before she receives more hugs from her friends. They may have all just seen each other, but her groups of people are very touchy feely. She wouldn't have it any other way.

When she came face to face with Mason there is a slight awkward pause. Feeling everyone's eyes on her, she breaks out of the haze and puts her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. She doesn't hang on for long though because she doesn't want him to get mixed feelings. They are friends. Nothing else.

She feels him hug her back after a second, and for a moment it's as if she never turned him down at dinner. She can still remember a few nights ago when they went to get food together and he asked her out. He had explained to her that he wanted to be closer to her, that he thought this summer could help them become a great couple, but she had to tell him 'no'.

Mason had been hurt, but when he gives her a smile now she knows that they can still be friends.

"Hey Elena," he murmurs. "You look great."

"Thank you."

There's a DJ set up in the corner of Caroline's backyard playing popular music. A makeshift dance floor had been created and as Elena's eyes scan the crowd that is bumping and grinding on one another she catches another glimpse of Damon dancing with Andie Starr. Andie is wearing short blue jean shorts with a black bikini top that hides little to the imagination.

Elena rolls her eyes, but tells herself that Damon can do whatever he wants—even if that means contracting an STD.

"OH, I love this song," Caroline squeals as the fading music soon turns to a rap song that has everyone moving to the dance floor. _Get Low_ by Lil John starts playing. "Dance time," she declares while hooking her finger around Tyler's shirt collar and leading him to the dance floor.

Soon after Bonnie and Matt leave the group shyly and start dancing in the crowd too. A girl from her class, Elena thinks her name is Hayley, walks past and gives Mason a shy smile. Elena notices that her friend gives Hayley a once over but doesn't pursue her.

"What?" Elena teases. "You too cool to dance with her?"

Mason scratches the back of his neck. "Well…I don't want to leave you alone."

"I'm not alone. I have Stefan. Go on, she obviously likes you." When Mason doesn't think twice about it Elena turns to Stefan and gives him a big smile. He is drinking something from his cup but freezes with wide eyes as he recognizes Elena's look.

"One dance," he warns. "But that's it."

Elena takes the cup from his hands and drinks it in one gulp. It isn't beer, and she almost splutters at the hard alcohol that he must have gotten from Caroline's mom's stash. Taking his hand, she leads him to the dance floor where they join the other couples.

Their dance is innocent as dhe laces her arms around his neck and he places his on her waist. This isn't the first time they've danced together and it won't be their last. It's comfortable and soothing somehow being around someone so familiar to her.

This is what Elena needs in her life at the moment. She hasn't had time to think about it recently, but the two year anniversary is coming up for her brother and dad. As she dances with Stefan, remembering how he was there to comfort her in her time of need, she feels guilt, like a thousand pound weight, on her chest as the epiphany that she forgot about her deceased family becomes clear.

She doesn't want to think about the car accident that they all were in. She doesn't want to remember how she was the only sole survivor. The water had been agonizing in the drowned car, but seeing her unconscious dad and brother was worse. They had just been floating, and their eyes were closed as if they were in a slumber.

She tried to get them out, but she could only hold her breath for so long. A part of her thought that it would have been easier to just shut her eyes and float there too, but then someone had saved her life. Physically, she pulled herself to the surface, using every last breath she had, but mentally she wasn't the only one in the wrecked vehicle.

"You okay?" Stefan calls over the music.

Elena nods with a tight lipped smile. Being lost in her thoughts, she just realized that she had been dancing with Stefan for nearly twenty minutes already.

Looking over her shoulder she stops a guy from the junior class who is carrying a tray full of shots. She grabs four before passing two to Stefan.

Not wanting to think about her father and brother any longer because it hurts too much, she smirks at Stefan. "Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

Together, like the two best friends that they are, they clink glasses and take two shots together.

* * *

Her hands are everywhere on his body even though he wants her to just take a chill pill and stop moving like some overdramatic porn star. He doesn't know where she learned how to dance like this, but he was guessing it was from one too many movie nights with her girlfriends where they all watched a really bad porn movie together.

Feeling her one hand run over the top of his head, and her boney fingers scrape against the back of his neck while her other hand was trying to move seductively over her mid torso, Damon grimaces. Andie's bare back is glued to his front, her body shimmying down his length before popping back up.

He hears her gasp as if he is the one turning her on, but really he knows it's just from the ten jello shots she took and the idea of being with him.

Damon is now rethinking actually sleeping with her. If he can barely stand being near her when she tries to dance on him, he shutters at the idea of how she's going to act in bed later that evening.

"Oh Damon," she moans as she throws her head back so it's resting against his shoulder. He didn't even do anything to her and she's moaning dramatically.

Rolling his eyes, he takes a shot from a tray that is being passed around. He doesn't bother seeing if Andie wants one because she's one more from passing out and he can't have that. As annoying as she is, he's put in a lot of time that night with her and he is horny.

Scanning his eyes over the crowd he does a check to see if he can spot his brother. They may be in the same grade but Damon feels a sense of responsibility for him since he is the older one. Stefan isn't where Damon saw him last, dancing with a girl named Jules. And before Jules, Damon had seen Stefan be with Elena for more than an hour on the dance floor.

He had tried to keep negative thoughts out of his head, but he meant his words to Elena over the weekend—he does not want to think about Stefan being with Elena. It's not just because it disgusts him. It's more than that. Stefan is one of few people who he trusts his life with, and Elena is a girl who affects Damon in multiple ways. He knows that he can't handle someone close to him being with Elena—the feeling is insufferable to think about.

Damon's hips press against Andi as he keeps his now empty hands on her waist, moving her in slow circles because she can't even keep rhythm in her condition. Her head is thrown back now, resting on his shoulder as she looks up at him through a drunken haze.

"I knew we were perfect for each other," she moans.

Perfect? No, not in the slightest, but Damon doesn't correct her. He just smirks while winking at her. With Andie, he doesn't have to say anything. He's had her hooked for days now and she would be willing to do anything for him. The old Damon would have cared about her feelings, but now, Damon is guilt free. He knows that he's always been honest with Andie and how he doesn't date. With that being said to her, he feels that sleeping with her with no strings attached is justified.

"People talk," she hiccups, "about you liking…loving…" this catches his attention now as Andie hiccups again and stammers through her words, "El—Elen—a, but— _everyone_ knows that you two hate…"

Damon doesn't want to hear anything else that is spewing from Andie's mouth. Instead, he claims her mouth and makes her stop talking. Her mouth is dry and smells like a bar with a hint of smoke, but he kisses her with a compelling force.

"Wow," she whispers as he pulls back with a cocky smirk. "You want to take this somewhere a little more… _private_?"

"You read my mind," he grins. His hand automatically goes to the back of his jeans to feel for his wallet with a condom in it, but he pats nothing. "Shit," he groans in annoyance.

"What?"

Damon clenches his teeth and forces a smile. "Nothing." The more she talks the more her voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard. If she wasn't so hot then there would be no way he'd sleep with her based off of her personality. "Why don't you find us a bedroom and I have to run to my car to get something."

Damon knows that this idea turns Andie off and so he strokes her cheek affectionately and bats his eyes a little. For some reason girls cannot resist his blue eyes. "Please?" He presses his lips against hers for good measure.

"Yeah, okay," she agrees dreamily. "Don't take too long."

Damon watches her go with a satisfied expression.

"You're such a manwhore," Alaric says, but chuckles and Damon knows he's not serious.

"Whatever. It's not my fault all the girls love me. I'm just that good." Damon pats Alaric on the shoulder as a departing and starts to head for his car. Damon nearly stumbles over his two feet, and it's then that he realizes just how much had had to drink that night. Too much.

When Damon arrived at the party he had to park two blocks away, right behind Mason's car. Damon remembers rolling his eyes at Mason's enormous car that makes a ridiculous amount of noise.

"Salvatore, you're the man!" A random voice shouts out and Damon chuckles at his classmates antics. It is clear that everyone is ready to become seniors and start the best year of their lives.

Spotting his car only three spaces away he starts to quicken his pace.

" _You know why."_

Damon hears her voice. He would recognize her voice anywhere. And even though his ears are still ringing from the music at the party, he cannot mistake her voice for anyone else.

" _I only see you as a friend. I'm sorry Mason._ "

Damon looks around and spots the back of Elena's head near the driver's side of Mason's car. She's talking to Mason who he cannot see because of how tall the hummer is. Instead of interrupting the couple he stops walking. He knows that listening is invading their personal space, but he doesn't care. If they didn't want people listening then they shouldn't have been talking in such a public space.

" _Just give us a chance. You might change your mind_." Mason's voice cuts through the night air. Damon rolls his eyes. There is no way that Elena is going to change her mind. She's the most stubborn person he knows. _"I'll change for you. You name it, and I'll change_."

" _There's nothing you can change. You're my friend Mase, one of my best friends, and I don't want to ruin that. I don't date friends._ "

" _You dated Salvatore_." Mason says a little too harshly, as if he's throwing that fact in Elena's face.

" _That was different. Damon and I…he…_ "

Damon can picture Elena blushing slightly, a heat already visible in her cheeks. She's cute when she drinks and has rosy cheeks for the rest of the night.

What the hell, Damon thinks to himself. He is not supposed to think that about her. In fact, he can't even remember the last time he let himself think like that about her. She isn't cute. She's Elena Gilbert.

" _He's a man whore who sleeps with all the girls at school. But you still liked him freshmen year. Why? What did he have that I don't?"_

"… _my heart…_ "

Now Damon knows that Elena is drunk. There is no way that she would admit that to anyone but maybe Stefan. Damon knows that he hasn't told Stefan or anyone about what really happened between him and Elena, but maybe she has, and now she's gone and told Mason that she had basically been in love with Damon freshmen year. Why would she say that?

And hearing her say that out loud makes Damon's heart stop in his chest. His mind is fuzzy and stupidly in his tipsy state of mind he walks forward into the street to see that they are facing one another and Elena's arms are crossed defensively against her chest.

Mason sees him and his eyes narrow into murderous slits, and it only takes Elena a second to realize something is wrong. When she turns around her face is unreadable, but that may be due to Damon's intoxicated state.

"Fuck off," Mason snarls. "This doesn't concern you."

"'Lena," Damon says her name but nothing else.

She looks at him expectantly. It's clear she doesn't think he heard her, and due to her lack of response, maybe he made that up in his mind. Now he feels like an idiot. He doesn't know why he's standing there, saying her name like he cares.

"What?" She snaps him back into reality.

Damon loses his cool for a moment and opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out still. Wow, he must have drunk a lot more than he thought he did.

"What is it?" She demands with a huff. "Do you know what? I've had enough for tonight. I'm going home." When she moves to walk past Mason she steps away from his grabbing hand. " _Alone_ ," she emphasizes.

Damon watches her go and for a brief second he thinks that she looks back at him with the same sad stare that is on his face.

It's a stare that is shared between two long lost lovers.


	5. Star Player

**Author's Note-Well someone figured out what happened between Damon and Elena, but I'm not saying who. :)**

 **Thanks for the reviews! Next chapter will be up by Saturday if you're all really nice and tell me what you think of this little installment. Soon-they will be friends again-I hope. And yes, this is a delena story so ultimately they will end up together (for the reviewer who asked me that).**

* * *

" _Home, let me go home.  
Home is wherever I'm with you.  
Ah, home, let me go home.  
Home is wherever I'm with you."_  
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

 _It is the last game of the season before the playoffs and Elena is squeezed together with her friends on the bleachers, chanting her heart out. She is dressed in red and black for North High, however, she doesn't attend the school. But to a common person who doesn't know her she could have fooled them._

 _Elena's eyes scan the crowd as she gives Stefan a huge smile. Stefan is good at football, but he is only on the JV team with most of the sophomores and some other freshmen. He gives her a huge grin back and they both know that North High is going to win this game._

 _Caroline is down on the field with the cheerleaders, Bonnie, Matt, and Alaric are in front of her, and Mason and Tyler are on her other side. Luckily, South High had their bi-week and Elena didn't have to choose between seeing her school play football and Damon. Of course, she would have chose Damon though._

 _Elena spots Damon's number twenty-one entering the field. Her heart beats faster with anticipation. Every time he plays on the field there is a small part of her that worries about his safety, but the bigger part of her cheers and chants his name with admiration._

 _It had been four weeks since homecoming and they had become even more inseparable. Of course, they were still hanging out with their friends, and whenever she was at the Salvatore house she made sure she made time for Stefan, but Damon and her still find time to be by themselves._

 _The time is clicking down, and there really is just time for one more play before everyone realizes that North High is the victor, and Elena cannot wait for that moment because all she wants to do is rush down to the field and be wrapped in Damon's arms._

 _Although he wasn't her first kiss, he is the first guy she has made out with. Her lips are still tingling from the embrace they had before he had to leave for his game that night. And she's sure that later tonight they'll have more chances to be together._

 _The moment the buzzard goes off, Elena feels her legs take off and she rushes through the crowd. Damon is on the end of the field and she dodges people left and right. When he takes off his helmet, his hair sweaty on his head and in chunks, he starts scanning the crowd. When his eyes look at her, Elena sees a smile break on his face._

" _Congratulations!" Elena yells as she feels his arms pick up her and she is twirled around by his strong body. "One game down!"_

" _Did you see that catch in the third quarter?" Damon exclaims just as pumped as Elena feels._

" _You were amazing!" Damon is still holding her in the air, his teammates are scattered around them along with half the town, and all Elena can see is Damon. Damon smirks up at her before Elena runs her hands through his damp hair and claims his mouth._

 _Typically they usually go to an after party that either one of their friends host or a senior on the football team hosts, but that night when they were dropped off at Damon's house so he could change before going out, they found themselves tangled together on Damon's bed._

 _This is the first time that Damon is hovering above her, his body pressing into her as she snuggles further into the soft mattress. His hand pushes her hair off her face while his lips stay connected to hers. It's like kissing fire as she feels his other hand trail up the side of her body. She shivers and it's not because she's only wearing leggings for pants._

" _You cold?" He immediately asks as worry is etched onto his face. Although the game had been finished for nearly an hour now, he still can't stop grinning and Elena loves that happy look on him._

" _No," she bites her lip. Her hands tangle in his hair before she pulls him back down to continue their celebratory exploration of one another's body's._

 _The longer they kiss the more she can feel him reacting to their make out session. Her legs are accommodating him so he's perfectly nestled against her and her heart pumps out of control as she feels him stiffen from excitement. This is the first time she's ever felt someone become hard and it's becoming too hard to concentrate._

" _We should go to the party," Elena tries to say but Damon kisses down her jaw, to her neck, and presses a soft kiss against her skin._

" _I don't want to," he moans childishly. His arms wrap around her torso and he squeezes her tight in an embrace. She laughs at his antics and soon his head is resting against her chest, his body molded against hers so it is impossible to tell where she starts and he ends. "I like it better when it's just the two of us."_

 _Elena wonders if Damon knows that she felt him through his jeans and her leggings, she wonders if he knows that is why she stopped their kissing. And knowing Damon, he can read her like a book. He knows for sure and this is his way of just giving her space._

 _They lay in silence for a minute, and Elena is content to just run her fingers through his hair. She rubs her nails against his scalp to massage his tense muscles. She thinks he's asleep but he surprises her when his groggy voice breaks the silence._

" _I'm never going to force you to do anything that you don't want to do, and I know just now kind of freaked you out, but I want to be your first. And I'm willing to wait. So no pressure."_

 _Elena smiles to herself, holding him tighter. She couldn't say the words that were on the tip of her tongue, but she knows that soon she would be willing to open herself completely to him. He is her soul mate and she is naïve to think that nothing in the world can tear them apart._

* * *

Elena and Bonnie are in the kitchen waiting to clock in for their shift. The manager of the resort, Mr. Belter, was very strict the day before when he gave everyone a quick orientation that they were to clock in on time and they were not allowed to clock out a minute late.

"Maybe if you just tried talking to him then-" Elena cuts Bonnie off with a slight glare. Her friend doesn't continue her thought but rather holds her hands up in a surrendering motion. "Sorry. I just think it would be better for everyone if you and Damon didn't want to bite each other's heads off every time you are in the same room together."

"It's complicated," Elena admits. No one, not even Stefan, really knows what happened between her and Damon and that's the way it's going to stay.

Elena unzips her white hoodie jacket that she's wearing and hangs it on the hook in the backroom off of the kitchen. More employees are starting to show up since it's nearly nine o'clock in the morning. Off to her right she spots Damon's lettermen jacket and she thinks back to the time he let her wear it freshmen year. He had just won his first playoff game-back in time when they were madly in love with each other.

"Can we please talk about something else?" Elena requests quietly.

Bonnie senses a mood change in Elena but doesn't push her friend. She's smart enough to know that Elena will talk about her feelings whenever she's ready.

"Are you ready for the memorial?" Bonnie hesitantly asks.

Elena can feel her body tense up and then turn to stone. Her blood stops flowing, her breathing halts, and a sharp pain tugs at her heart. It had been nearly two years since that awful night that ruined her life and sometimes it feels shorter than years. She still wakes up in the middle of the night with nightmares that make her whole body shake with fear. Her night terrors are becoming worse the closer the anniversary comes.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready." Elena sighs before taking a much needed breath. "This year my mom wants me to say a few words. She did it last year, but it was hard for her."

"That's understandable," Bonnie sympathizes.

"What up ladies," Alaric greets as he rushes back to the break room and clocks in. Stefan and Damon are right behind him as they childishly push one another through the door.

Elena and Bonnie share a small laugh as they just barely clock in on time. No one wants to make Mr. Belter upset. He is an older man, in his late forties or early fifties, with a no-joking personality. He was blunt the day before, telling them they all had three strikes before they were fired.

"Where were you three if your jackets were already here?" Bonnie asks with an accusing tone.

"We happened to be responsible and got here early; unlike you two who obviously did not care enough," Alaric jokes.

Stefan rolls his eyes and explains, "We had to leave the house because Andy was stalking Damon the whole night. When we went to bed she was out in her car wanting to talk to him, and when the idiot refused to go out there, she stayed in her car the whole night."

"We had to sneak past her this morning when she was asleep to leave. We couldn't risk leaving for work and Andy stopping us, or else we would have been late," Damon smirks.

Elena is not oblivious to him and his roaming eyes over her suit clad body. Even though she is wearing a tight red, one piece, and she's still wearing her short black soffe shorts, she can still feel his eyes hot on her body. And with Damon looking at her with his intensity, she is reminded of how he looked at her at the end of Caroline's party. Elena thinks that Damon really shouldn't have been that surprised when she told Mason why she dated Damon. It wasn't a secret that she used to really care for him.

"We still have three minutes. What were you two talking about?" Alaric asks casually as he starts to apply sun block to his face and neck.

"The memorial this weekend," Bonnie says for Elena.

Just saying those words is like dropping a bomb and Elena can sense all three boys tense at the mention of Grayson's and Jeremy's memorial.

"That's this weekend?" Damon asks stupidly and this angers her as she narrows her eyes.

"Seriously?" Bonnie deadpans.

"It's fine." Elena shrugs it off as if it doesn't bother her. She's good at acting cold whenever it's pertaining to Damon. "He doesn't know when it usually is because last year he was too busy fucking Amber Fell to even come to the church." She sends him one last cold glare. "I'm starting my shift. See you on break, Bonnie."

"Don't," Stefan warns gravely as Alaric and Bonnie both shrink back from the fuming Salvatore and Stefan. Stefan puts his hand firmly on Damon's shoulder to stop him from advancing after Elena. "I don't interfere often, but when it comes to this I am. And I am warning you Damon to not say anything to her about her father or brother."

"I wasn't going too," Damon snarls while yanking himself out of Stefan's grip. Stefan is right when he says that he doesn't usually interfere with Damon-no matter how arrogant, cocky, or awful he's being, but when it comes to Elena then Stefan will do anything for her. "But if she's going to act all high and mighty around me then I'm not going to just sit back and be a doormat. We weren't even dating last year so she has no right to comment on that."

"Would you listen to yourself?" Stefan places his whistle around his neck before standing next to Damon. "She nearly died; her dad and brother did. You didn't show up to the funeral and then you didn't show up to the memorial one year later. Don't try to justify that."

Damon watches as Stefan goes off with Alaric and they head out to the pool together. He narrows his eyes as he imagines them meeting up with Elena. After all, Stefan and Alaric have the chance to work side by side with her for the whole summer while he is stuck inside waiting on tables.

* * *

Damon waits on Matt to finish plating the food for his order while drumming his fingers on the stainless steel appliances. The kitchen is in a rush with waiters and waitresses coming in left and right to place orders.

"You almost done Donovan?" Damon asks as he leans on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Once he delivers this plate of food he gets to take his break for forty minutes. But the more Damon stares at the plate, just waiting for the side item to go along with the burger, that looks like it has three different cheeses on it, extra tomatoes, and a side of mayo, Damon can't remember placing this. "Where am I taking this plate again?"

"You're not," Mason's voice cuts in. Matt dumps onion rings on the plate and grabs a cup of pickles that all guests get with their order of a sandwich. Damon quirks an eye brow at Mason's presence. "You can take your break or do whatever, but I got this."

Damon takes the plate right out of Mason's hands and suddenly it is as if he has an epiphany. Three different cheeses on a burger, extra tomatoes, and onion rings? "This is for Elena."

"Yah," Matt confirms. "She's out by the pool on break. Take that to her please." Matt rushes off to continue other orders.

Damon grins at Mason and wiggles his eye brows in victory. Mason face is red and his nostrils flare as Damon plucks the pickles off the plate. "If you want to date her then you should probably know that Elena hates pickles. You should really know the girl you're pining after."

He leaves Mason behind while sauntering through the kitchen to reach the poolside. There is a gated area with tables and chairs. They are pushed off to the side, in the shade, and so there aren't many people occupying that area. Damon catches Stefan and Alaric both in high chairs, overlooking the pool.

He knows that Ric already had his break, and so it must just be Elena's turn. They must all take different breaks depending on how busy they are.

"Your food," Damon places the plate in front of her and Elena looks up at him startled. He watches as a frown tugs at her lips and her eyes spy the food suspiciously. "I didn't poison it if that's what you're thinking."

Elena still doesn't say anything and it pisses him off. He was nice enough to bring her food, save her from the hassle of talking to Mason since he knows she's probably avoiding him since Caroline's party, and now she's freezing him out...again. Damon rather would have Elena yelling at him then giving him a silent treatment.

"Whatever," he snaps. Rolling his eyes, he turns on his heel to start walking away. She still doesn't say anything and as he walks away he counts in his head to five and sighs in irritation. He doesn't know what possesses him to turn back around but he marches over to her table and sits down. Elena's eyes are wide saucers and the onion ring she's holding falls. "What's wrong?"

"What are you doing?" She looks around as if this is a conspiracy for them to be sitting together.

"Answer my question so I don't feel guilty and can go on my way." He's blunt, straight to the point.

"Nothing's wrong," she mumbles, her light waves of hair falling around her face when she looks down.

"I've known you my whole life-I know when something's on your mind. So tell me."

Damon waits for her to say anything, and just when he thinks she won't speak, her mouth opens and her words squeeze at his heart.

"They've been gone two years-the memorial is in a few days-and I have no idea what I'm going to say to the whole town."

In that moment she's not the girl he fell in love with. She's not South High's queen. She's not his friend. She's only Elena Gilbert-a broken girl who survived a car crash when her family did not.

"I'm the reason they're dead, and I have to live with that the rest of my life. But I didn't just lose them that day, did I?"

This is usually a taboo topic for them. They have never brought up their past relationship since the night of the funeral, and so Damon is in uncharted territory. He doesn't know how to respond or act as he watches Elena across from him.

He knows that she's talking about losing him also. "You didn't lose me, 'Lena."

"You were my best friend, and now we can't even stand to be in the same room as one another." Elena pushes her uneaten food towards Damon and stands up. "I lost my dad, Jeremy, and you ."

Damon watches her go and he doesn't go after her.


	6. Broken Promises

**Author's Note-So I'm a day late...don't hate me. I decided to add the beginning because originally I wasn't. You guys are amazingly supportive with your reviews and it's you guys who do take the time for constructive criticism and thoughtful reviews that make me want to keep writing! :)**

* * *

 _Elena's eyes flash open and she's overcome by water. It's everywhere. It's surrounding her in a warm blanket, wrapping her so tight that she feels like she's never going to escape._

 _Whipping her head around she tries to take in her surroundings as best as possible, but it's hard to see and it's definitely too hard to move._

 _She locks her throat closed, needing to stop the water from entering and drowning her to death. Although her mind is fuzzy she has enough common sense left in her to see Jeremy in the front seat. His eyes are closed and he looks so peaceful._

 _Elena shakes his shoulder rapidly, but he doesn't open his eyes. How can that be? He was just in the front seat teasing her about how much she's in love with Damon. Jeremy was being annoying, but brotherly at the same time and no matter how many times their dad told them to stop bickering on the way home they never stopped._

 _Frantically trying to reach her dad, Elena sees that he's not conscious either. His eyes are closed just like her brothers._

 _She's running out of time. Her lungs are burning for air but she knows that she can't give in to the pressure. Clawing at her seat belt in a panic, it won't release her._

 _She wants to yell out to her dad; she wants him to save her because she's just a kid trapped in a drowning car with a dead brother in the front seat. Elena can't tell if her eyes are burning because there's water in them or if she's crying._

 _It's the later as she cries for her father. She cries for Jeremy. She cries because she's not going to make it. Elena can't hear sirens coming, she can't hear the ambulance. All she can hear is a ringing in her head, the pounding of the water around her, and she's desperately pulling on the safety belt that is supposed to save her life-not make her suffer a drowning._

 _But what is she really saving herself for? More than half her family is in this car-dead. If she survives then she'll have her mother-a grieving mother who might blame her because she will have survived and Grayson and Jeremy didn't. Elena doesn't think she can live with the blame of surviving. Every one in town will know about this accident, they will all look at her with pity, and she will have to live with the fact that she couldn't help her brother or father._

 _Shutting her eyes, her hands drift away from the seat belt and she slowly lets the water take over her._

 _Her dad is dead._

 _Her brother is dead._

 _Something tickles her throat as she's ready to just let the water take her away. She can't survive this. She has no energy left to try to free herself. But when she looks down at what is tickling her she feels the necklace around her neck, floating through the water, drifting against her skin and the current._

 _It's the silver locket that she wears all the time-ever since Damon gave it to her for Valentine's Day. Inside of it she put a picture of him with her hugging him from behind, her chin resting on his shoulder._

 _It's selfish of her to be thinking of only Damon in that moment. She should be thinking about her mother, her father, and brother, but all she can picture is Damon and how the last school year has been the best of her life. And it was only supposed to get better for them-they have the whole summer planned with trips to the beach, cheerleading and football practices, and a family vacation that their families always go on together._

 _If she thinks hard enough then she can nearly imagine his calloused hands holding her face, his tender lips pressing against her own in a sinful way._

 _Using a calmness that she doesn't know she possesses, Elena twists and pulls her seat belt until it becomes loose. She can feel her vision become blurry and the need to take a breath is overwhelming. Hesitating for just a moment, she looks back at her brother and father and says goodbye before pushing herself through her open car window._

 _Swimming with her practiced strokes takes a lot of energy that Elena doesn't have. The burning in her lungs is like a fire built from gasoline. Losing a battle that she thought she would win, she can't stop herself from breathing in a little. She needs air, but that one breath is all it takes for water to start gushing into her mouth. She can't stop the gurgling as she kicks, but she's going nowhere._

 _Her clothes are heavy on her small body, her arms feel as if they are one hundred pound weights, and fatigue is settling in. She struggles and if she weren't submerged in water then she's sure her whole body would be broken out in a thin veil of sweat due to exertion._

 _Elena doesn't want to stop, but her body's movements slow down. The pounding in her ears become drums and her heart beats wildly to the rhythm._

 _Her eyes droop close as the clear liquid surrounding her fragile body enters her mouth, nose, throat, and eventually lungs. It's cold and hot at the same time. It's like drinking battery acid, she thinks to herself as her arms drop to her sides and her legs slowly stop moving._

 _The last thing Elena pictures is Damon's blue eyes._

* * *

Damon breathes in and out. In and out. In and out. He pushes himself further and completes one more set before dropping the barbell back into place.

"You're going to push yourself too far one of these days," Stefan says from above him. He is spotting Damon while they get in their morning workout. Although Stefan isn't as serious about football as Damon, he still wants to hold his quarterback position by staying in shape over the season.

"Excuse me for wanting to better myself for the team," Damon sarcastically replies sitting up, grabbing the hand towel that he carelessly threw on the ground moments before. He dabs at his face which has broken out into a layer of sweat.

"Hey Damon," a blonde giggles while walking by the two guys.

Damon smirks and gives her a head nod. When he looks back at Stefan who is frowning, unimpressed, he just shrugs his shoulders.

"Who was that?"

"I think her name is Jamie...or Jules...or Janet. You know what? I can't really remember, but I do know that she does this thing with her tongue-"

"Enough," Stefan snaps.

Damon chuckles while switching places with Stefan. He unloads some of the weights for his brother.

They are that the resort using the gym equipment. One of the perks of working there is getting to use any facility they have. To the guys this meant the pool and the gym area while the girls have seemed to take a particular liking to the yoga and fitness classes. Another perk that the guys take advantage of is using the gym while watching the fitness classes in the other room.

There's only a glass wall between the fitness room where the classes are held and the weight room, and in that moment Damon spots a brunette with her back facing them. Her long hair is wrapped in a messy bun atop her head, her sports bra seems to only have two thin straps crossing over each other on her upper, lean back and the tight yoga Capri pants sit low on her waist.

Damon licks his lips as his eyes trail over her flawless neck, can see the light sweat glistening her body as if she's been sprayed with a sparkling water, and he watches diligently as her body transforms to match the instructors. Damon doesn't even notice when Stefan starts lifting while his eyes are glued to this girl's body.

Caroline says something to this girl, and when she turns her head to chuckle at whatever Blondie said, Damon realizes that it's Elena standing before him in the tight highlighter yellow sports bra and low, clingy black pants.

"Earth to Damon," Stefan says.

Damon snaps out of it and looks away from the girl who stole his heart years ago. "What?"

"If you take a picture it'll last longer," his brother jokes but he finds it unamusing.

"You know I'm only allowed to make funny jokes, Stef." Damon can't stop his eyes from turning to see Elena one more time. She's stretching out her long, lean legs and Damon can bet that he's not the only one staring at this gorgeous brunette. "What is she even doing here? I thought the memorial is today."

"It is," Stefan confirms with a hard edge to his voice. Damon picks up at it and looks at his brother who seems to be fuming behind his green eyes. There are crinkles in his forehead and Damon can't figure out what has Stefan so upset. "It's this evening. You know that. You said you'd be there. You _told_ her that you'd be there."

Damon doesn't even know how those words came out of his mouth the other day. Although he hates to admit it, he and Elena have fallen into a weird routine with one another at the resort. Although they have only been working there for a week, it's been a common theme that whenever she is on breaks then Damon is on break too—not by choice. It's been his job to bring her lunch. Sometimes she's by herself while on slow days either Alaric or Stefan have been with her. Damon doesn't stay on the days when she's with Alaric or Stefan.

But on the days she is alone, he finds himself sitting down with her and eating her pickles that he brings out just in case she changes her mind about liking the food.

They don't talk except for a few snide comments to one another, but for the most part they fall into a complete silence. Their friends haven't said anything to either of them about it; however, Damon is sure that Mason is badgering Elena about eating with Damon. He overheard them a few days prior. But for the most part, everyone else knows not to say anything to their faces because they both know how defensive Damon and Elena can be.

"Yah, I know," Damon snaps.

Did he want to go? No way in hell. Going to someone's memorial is depressing, heart breaking, and just an emotional suicide with a side of mental fucked up feelings. Going to two peoples' memorials is double the baggage.

But two days ago, when Damon brought out Stefan and Elena's food for lunch, he walked in on their conversation of the memorial. Stefan was being typical Stefan and trying to get Elena to talk about it, but she was being her typical stubborn self and shut herself off.

Damon doesn't know what possessed Elena to do this, but she looked up at him with her big brown eyes, small button nose, and pink plump lips with a pucker to them, and asked Damon the inevitable question he had been avoiding.

" _Are you going to attend, Damon?_ "

He knows that this is a big deal to Elena. He understands that he should be there. Grayson was his godfather while Jeremy was practically his own brother no matter the age difference. He owed it to them. But mostly, he owes it to Elena for leaving her behind the previous times-for not being there for her when she needed him-and he's not just talking about the accident. He owes it to her for everything he messed up.

So he said, " _Yes._ "

As they start walking back to the locker room to change, a male figure catches Damon's eyes and his orbs narrow into thin slits. If looks could kill then Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson would be six feet buried. Damon watches as Elijah puts his hands on Elena, hugging her close like two ex lovers.

Stefan rolls his eyes. "You knew they were going to be here this summer. They come every year," Stefan warns him, hitting him on the shoulder to get him moving again.

When they enter the empty locker room Damon chucks his shirt off and throws it harshly into his locker. "You know she only dated him because she was trying to get under my skin," Damon states nonchalantly. He didn't know who he was trying to fool; himself or Stefan.

"Right," Stefan is sarcastic with a head nod. "Because every decision she makes is based around you. Because you're Damon Salvatore; king of North High and a ladies' man. Did it ever occur to you that she might have just liked him last summer and that's why they dated?"

Damon snorts while slinging his white towel over his shoulder to head to the showers. "Right. She actually fell for Elijah's stupid accent-"

"And his personality, his charm, his good looks," Stefan fills in.

"I'm starting to think that you might want to date him," Damon teases.

Stefan nearly gags at that idea. "I'm just telling you that not everything Elena does is revolved around you. She has the right to date whoever she wants. If you don't like that then you're going to have to do something about it-not just hate on whoever looks at her because that would be a lot of people."

* * *

Elena stands at the door of the church with her mother. Miranda is slightly taller than her, wearing a pencil black skirt, white blouse, and black blazer. Her mother's eyes are a light blue with a tinge of red around them due to crying earlier.

It seems as if the whole town has come to honor Grayson and Jeremy's deaths again, and Elena secretly wonders if they will have to do this every year. It was hard enough getting through their funerals the first time and just when she and her mother had started to feel okay again, the memorial happens and they both fall apart again.

Elena looks to her left and sees Stefan, Lily, and Giuseppe sitting in the first and second pew of the church. They've all sat there before, supporting the remaining Gilberts. Frowning, Elena wonders if Damon is going to keep his word about coming.

It shouldn't matter to her. She shouldn't even be entertaining the thought of Damon. Any ideas of being with him are all in the past and this moment just solidifies the idea that nothing has changed with him.

He still cannot man up, and follow through with his word.

Broken promises are his specialty.

"Why don't you go sit down, sweetie," her mother says with a watery smile.

All her friends are there and as she walks past Bonnie and her grandmother the dark skinned girl squeezes her hand. And before she can make it to the front Elijah consults her.

"Elena," his British accent is very apparent. "My family and I are sorry for you loss."

She notices Klaus and Rebekah sitting behind Elijah. Their mother is also present. She knows that they only come to Mystic Falls for the summer and she's sure the last thing they want to do is be cooped up in a church.

"Thank you, Elijah." They hug and it's familiar to her. Although they didn't work out dating, they have still remained friends for over a year now. "I should get to my seat. Stefan's waiting for me."

"Ah yes, and should I be expecting a run in with the other Salvatore?" Elijah holds a slight teasing tone although underneath his sparkle Elena can sense that he's serious. There is no hiding the fact that no matter how pleasant Elijah was the previous year, Damon does not like him.

Elena's eyes turn cold at just the mention of her ex boyfriend. She has tried to convince herself so many times that morning that Damon is exactly that: her ex. She shouldn't care that much, but no matter how hard she tries to suppress her feelings, there is a small part of her that wishes Damon has changed-that wishes he actually follows through with his promises.

"He's not coming." Elena steels herself away and is finally able to sit in the front with Stefan right by her side, Lily and Giuseppe behind her, and Miranda's seat saved by her cardigan that she was previously wearing.

Stefan nudges her shoulder with his own and Elena nudges him back. This is a simple act, but it's their way of checking in with one another when they don't actually know what to say to each other.

"I'm not going to fall apart this time," Elena vows quietly enough so only Stefan hears.

"It's okay if you do." He's quiet just like her.

But it's not okay. Nothing about this is okay. She lost her father, brother, and then that night the only thing that forced her to survive was thinking of Damon, and he doesn't even know it was the idea of him that saved her. Elena never had the chance of telling Damon that she escaped the wreckage based off the idea of loving him. Instead, he abandoned her in her time of need-the moment she needed him the most and he was gone.

"I was naïve back then to think that I could depend on someone. I was young and stupid and in love," she admits for the first time. "And I thought that I had grown-that I wasn't that stupid kid anymore, but honestly? I really thought he was going to come today, and I shouldn't need him here...I shouldn't want him here...but I do...I really miss them...I really miss him."

Stefan is speechless and when Elena looks at him with a watery smile and tears in her eyes, he holds her hand, wraps his arm around her shoulders, and she leans on him.

"You weren't the only one hoping that he would come," he whispers.

They sit in the pew holding each other-knowing that the next day is a new day. They will mourn, grieve, and move on like they always do.


	7. You Have to Forgive Me

**Author's Note-So it seems I'm only updating on Sundays for a couple more weeks. I wish I could update more and once summer comes along I will, but for now only expect once a week. But again, you guys are awesome with reviews and you keep me motivated to write.**

 **I know last chapter had a lot of you upset and confused. I know it doesn't seem Damon has a true reason or excuse on why he wasn't there, but it all will tie together. In this chapter there are hints of why he wasn't at the funeral and I think some of you will like the end scene.**

 **Also, do you guys want even longer chapters or is this length okay? I generally keep my chapters between 3,000-4,000 words but I have so many scenes I want to write for you. But I don't want you guys to get bored either. Let me know if you want many chapters at this length or longer chapters please.**

* * *

"You know, you're going to have to talk to him eventually," Stefan says for what feels like the hundredth time to Elena.

"Why do you care?"

"Because you're my best friend, he's my brother, and it's getting to be too much for me when I'm put in the middle of you two."

* * *

"Did you at least try explaining to her why you weren't there?" Alaric asks while leaning against the lockers in the resorts locker room.

"No," Damon says sarcastically. "I love the silent treatment so much from Gilbert that I decided to not explain myself."

"You're an ass, you know that?" Alaric points out. "I don't even think she cares about you missing this year. What I meant was, did you tell her why you missed their funerals two years ago? She deserves to know the truth."

"No one and I mean no one, will ever find out," Damon vows.

* * *

"For the love of God, please just makeup before my party tomorrow," Caroline whines to Elena as Elena sits on top of the kitchen island at the resort. It's Damon's day to be on the golf course so Elena isn't worried about running into him.

"There's nothing to make up. I'm not talking to him-like always-so don't worry," Elena cheekily says.

The blonde rolls her eyes. "You know, Bex and I really don't understand what went wrong with you guys." Elena gives Caroline an 'are you serious' look. She just shrugs sheepishly. "Well, besides the fact that he turned into an ass. But if we can all look past that then you can too. Because honestly, your friends with Mason and he's just as much of a player as Damon."

* * *

Damon's phone is blowing up with pictures from Caroline's party. His phone is vibrating at least two times a minute as he rushes from the back kitchen over to the last table in the dining area. He already gave the four elderly ladies their bill, in hopes that they would understand the not so subtle hint that the dining area is closing.

They dont.

And when he starts wiping down tables because there is nothing else for him to do, they still keep talking and gossiping about all the new members who supposedly joined the resort that year.

And now he's just waiting, watching from the back room, leaning against the kitchen island as the last member of the cooking crew wipes down the last appliance.

Damon checks the clock on the wall and frowns. It's nine-thirty. His shift was supposed to be over at nine.

"Hang in there man," Chuck, the college freshmen says. He flips his blonde hair out of his eyes and pats Damon on the back while he heads towards the exit. "You going to Forbes' place tonight?"

"If these old hags ever leave," Damon grumbles. "Aren't they supposed to be in bed by like sundown?" He humors to himself.

"Not these gals," Chuck chuckles while swinging his dish towel over his shoulder. "But hey," he says chirpily. "At least you're not the only one stuck here." He motions behind Damon.

Standing in the archway of the dining room, leading into the darkened hallway is Elena. She is leaning against the doorway, a set of keys in her hands. Damon forgot that this was the night Mr. Belter asked Elena to close everything down. Even though he's the manager and there are more experienced workers at the resort, Mr. Belter seems to have a soft spot for the brunette across the room from Damon, and has placed her on a pedestal like everyone else.

"She's hot. You should try to get with that," Chuck whistles, completely oblivious to Damon's past with Elena. "I'm out. See ya' man."

"And then there were two," Damon murmurs to himself the moment Chuck leaves.

He wants to go over to her, explain what happened the previous weekend but it is obvious that she is freezing him out again. Damon rolls his eyes as he thinks about how he tried explaining himself on Monday to her but she didn't say a word to him. She sat and listened while picking at her lunch as he explained how Mr. Belter made him stay because everyone had requested off for the event. They were short staffed at the resort. And when he was done explaining she just looked at him with her big, brown eyes.

She hadn't said a word to him, but picked up her food, threw it in the garbage and went back to work. The next day when Damon went out with an unusual lunch order he was surprised to see Alaric waiting for him instead of Elena. Apparently, she had switched breaks and Alaric didn't feel the need to ask why.

Damon wants to go over to her now, try to at least fix whatever is broken between them but he knows that it runs deeper than just this last weekend. If this was the first time he broke a promise to her then he knows that Elena would have forgiven him right away, but this rift between them is more than just one promise.

He wants to explain why he wasn't there for her after the funerals, he wants to tell her the truth, but he can't. Only Alaric really knows the true reason Damon never attended the funerals two years prior, and that's only because Damon needed an alibi.

But he feels the pressure. It's a nagging thought in the back of his mind constantly. Every time he looks at Elena, every time he sees her smile and hear her laugh he wants to tell her the reason why he let her down. She deserves to know, but Damon knows deep down that Elena will never look at him the same if he tells her.

Finally, breaking Damon out of his thoughts, the older women get up to leave. They pass by Elena who is all smiles and gratitude. Damon knows why Mr. Belter picked Elena to do this job-because she has some of the best people skills anyone can have.

"I got it," Damon swoops in before Elena can start clearing the table.

She looks startled for a moment and he grins.

"Scared ya," he teases lightly, deciding to just play it easy around her. If she didn't want to listen to him before, he definitely isn't going to try to make her listen now. She can stay pissed at him for all he cares.

Elena scowls. "I thought Chuck was the last one tonight."

"Nope," Damon pops the 'p' just because he likes to rile her up. But when Elena doesn't take the bait of his teasing a small frown tugs at his mouth. She's dressed in the standard resort uniform, khaki pants and a black polo with her curly hair in a messy bun. Her skin is golden but her eyes look tired. They look the most aged he's ever seen them; as if she's seen too many things or survived one too many accidents.

"What's wrong?" He collects the plates that still have half the food on them.

"Nothing," is her short reply.

"That's it," Damon cuts her off before she can enter the kitchen door. He puts the dishes down on a nearby table and Elena's eyes are wide as she stands before him. She's holding the glasses the women were drinking out of. "You want to be uptight around me, then fine. But at least don't hold back on what you're thinking. You're never one to shy away from speaking your mind about me. Tell me what I did. Call me out on all of my mistakes. That's your favorite game, right?"

"You think I like calling you out on all your mistakes?" She exclaims. Damon can practically see the anger radiating from her body, all the way from the roots of her hair to her painted little toes. "You think I like thinking about all the times you left me hanging, left me to make excuses for you and your poor choices? That I like seeing you mess your life up by sleeping with half the female population in this town? That I like lying to all our friends when they ask me why we didn't work out? Because believe it or not Damon, I don't like avoiding everyone's questions about us. I don't like the feeling that I still get to cover your ass when I should just tell people how you disappoint others time and time again. But I don't."

"Why don't you?" He snarls. Her words are like acid raining over him, but they are the truth and it stings. "Why don't you like telling everyone how majorly I fucked everything up? How I left you because I was a selfish, arrogant prick who left the girl he loves to fend for herself!"

Damon doesn't realize what he has yelled but there is a small look of shock that crosses Elena's face before she stops herself from screaming at him even more. She purses her lips before slamming the glasses against his chest, and he effectively catches them so she can walk away.

"I might flake on you, break promises, but you deflect and run away from your problems. You don't face things head on; just like right now. You won't even speak to me; let alone forgive me because you're too busy running," Damon calls her out.

Elena is rigid and cold when she speaks her next sentence. "I'm shutting this place down in ten minutes. Finish what you need to do and then get out."

* * *

When Elena finally gets to Caroline's party she is relieved to see her friends all gathered around in a small circle, laughing, drinking and having a good time. She bumps into Stefan playfully before he greets her with a huge hug.

"Hey! How was work?"

"Not the best," she says cryptically. She really doesn't want to talk about Damon to Stefan since they are brothers and she doesn't want to make Stefan feel like he has to choose.

But the nerve of Damon, stopping her like that earlier before has Elena's veins running with fire. She cannot believe that he has the audacity for telling her that she likes pointing out his flaws, that she enjoys thinking about how much he has let her down. If anything, it makes her sick because she knows that he can be so much better. She knows that he's a fighter, a stubborn person, and deep down he has the softest heart that cares for the people he loves-but she can't tell him that. She fears that if she says the words out loud then there's no running from them. There's no running from the way she might still care about him.

It has taken her years to shut her feelings down for Damon, and she isn't about to bring them to the surface in fear that he'll just abandon her again. She can't handle that twice.

"Drink," Caroline demands while forcing a shot glass into Elena's empty hand.

The brunette smiles and quickly takes the shot, not even questioning what her best friend just gave her. It burns down her throat though, and she likes it.

"Another?" She requests.

"Sure thing baby girl," Alaric says smoothly before pouring her one more. They cheer each other before both taking a shot once more.

"Rough night?" Mason asks.

"Remind me to never say yes to Mr. Belter again. I don't want to be in charge of shutting down the resort by myself anymore," Elena suggests.

"Got it," Mason grins. "Want to dance to get your mind off things?"

Elena doesn't question him. Instead, she takes his hand and they go to the already packed dance floor. There is no DJ this time, but the stereo system that Tyler set up in Caroline's back yard is blaring music that is perfect to get lost in.

Bodies are grinding against one another like this is some club in L.A. Sweat is dripping off most people, the girls are wearing less and less clothes as the night goes on, and the guys can't get enough of the asses that are rubbing against their arching cores.

Elena knows that most of the people here are wishing to get laid, but she makes sure to only let Mason get so close. She doesn't want to give him the wrong idea and so she stays facing him, her arms draped over his shoulders while his hands settle on her waist. They sway and move to the music, both laughing and talking like two friends.

"God I'm going to miss this," Mason nearly groans. "Training starts soon and that means no alcohol."

Elena grins. They had been dancing for nearly thirty minutes. By now, the same guys at the last party who walked around with shots are doing it again and Elena had consumed at least four. She's starting to feel the effects of the alcohol; especially since it's been a while since she had a meal that day.

Her body leans on Mason's as they leave the dance floor for some water. The dress she had changed into at the resort clings to her body, her hair is pushed off her neck in order to try to cool down, and her world is starting to spin just a little.

"You can still party, right?" Elena slurs just a little.

Tyler and Caroline are talking near the corner of the pool, and from their spot, Elena can tell it doesn't look good. Caroline is gesturing wildly with her hands while Tyler's eyes are narrowed; like he's accusing her of something.

"That doesn't look good," Elena nods in Mason's cousin's direction.

"It's not," Mason winces a little as they watch Caroline poke Tyler in the chest; hard. "Ever since Klaus came back this summer Tyler has been geeking out about Caroline and Klaus."

"That's crazy. Care is in love with Tyler."

"Yah, but she hooked up with Klaus last summer-"

"One time," Elena points out dryly.

"And it doesn't help that Klaus is always around the resort. Deep down Ty knows Caroline would never cheat on him, but it doesn't help when the girl you love is around her ex."

There is an underlining meaning beneath Mason's words and it suddenly hits her that Mason is subtly referencing him being in love with her and how she's around her ex; Damon.

Instead of commenting, Elena's eyes scan the crowded place for Stefan. She spots him on the dance floor with Rebekah, Bonnie, and Matt. But her eyes don't stray for long because behind her friends there is Damon, and he's dancing with Katherine Pierce.

Frowning, Elena looks back to Mason only to see his eyes narrowed at the sight of Damon and Katherine too. Interesting, Elena thinks. Maybe this is a good thing that Mason is showing interest in Katherine. That means he no longer is thinking of hooking up with her.

"You should ask her to dance sometime," Elena encourages thoughtfully. She doesn't really know Katherine that well since they don't go to the same school, but from what Caroline has said the girl is a little messed up because of her family, but overall an okay girl.

Mason takes a moment to respond before refocusing on Elena. "Nah. I don't take Salvatore's left overs."

It's comments like that which make Elena realize Mason sounds just like Damon at times.

More classmates gather around Mason and Elena while they sip their waters and alternate between beer and a couple of shots. Elena knows that she is going to be hungover the next morning, but she doesn't care because it's her day off.

Games are going on, people are in the pool playing volleyball and the game of chicken, and it seems more people are bunched together on the dance floor. Caroline and Tyler are not in sight which means they probably went up to Caroline's room to sleep together. It's what they always do after having a mini fight.

"Elena," Alaric grins while he sings her name. When she turns to him his shirt is off and his hair is dripping wet. "I think you know what time it is."

Her brown eyes go wide and before she can turn from him, Alaric has his arms around her and he's carrying her towards the pool.

"Ric!" She exclaims as people chant their names. They have caught the attention of nearly everyone in the pool. "Put me down! Don't you dare drop me...at least let me take my dress off first." She's wearing her favorite black bikini on underneath.

"Nope," he says before jumping into the deep end with her. Instead of being angry or mad she emerges from the water and tackles Alaric. This is the beginning of a water war and she's completely oblivious to two blue eyes watching her.

* * *

The party had died down around one AM and Elena is thankful that Caroline's mom decided to cover someone's morning shift and stayed down at the station. She doesn't think Sheriff Forbes would appreciate coming home to a house filled with high school students who had obviously been drinking the whole night.

Washing her face with cold water, Elena wraps the thin, cotton grey robe around her small frame to block out the nighttimes chilly breeze. She had only brought with her an overnight bag packed with hygiene essentials and a pair of pajamas which consisted of short plaid sleeping shorts and a grey cotton tank top.

When the party had died down Bonnie had started picking up since she was the only sober one, but Elena had enough common sense to help her friend out. And that had taken them about an hour to get the yard cleaned up before they all decided to go to bed. There are plenty of spare bedrooms to choose from and Elena was lucky enough to claim a room all to herself.

Startled, jumping in shock, the door handle turns to the bathroom and she's left clutching her chest the moment midnight hair enters. Damon is shirtless, his boxers hanging loose on his hips, outlining the V-shape muscle that leads to an appendage Elena hears girls talk about in the locker room.

His eyes are blood shot, his hair tousled as if someone has been running their fingers through it, and he has to rub the sleep out of his eyes before he can finally focus on her.

"Don't you knock?" She hisses quietly. They don't want to wake the whole house.

"If you don't want someone to walk in then there's this new invention called the lock. Try it sometime, it's amazing." He's sarcastic. Taking a step forward Elena mistakes his move as something else and she backs up, hitting her lower back against the counter. Damon reaches around her and grabs his toothbrush that she's now noticing. He chuckles with a smirk.

Scowling, Elena can feel her blood boiling again, and it doesn't help when she sees the red mark against Damon's lower neck, marring his skin.

"You slept with Pierce, didn't you?" She accuses without thinking.

Damon spits the water out of his mouth. "So what."

"And now you're going to leave her like you do with everyone." It's not a question, but rather a statement.

"I'm not hiding it. Of course I'm going to leave her like all the rest. She had a good night," Damon puts his toothbrush back in place on the counter. "I had a good night. We both got what we wanted and now it's time for me to ditch her and move onto the next girl."

"You're disgusting, you know that?" Elena turns to leave, not bothering to wait to see if Damon will retaliate, but when she goes to open the door, his hand slams down on it to stop her.

Tensing slightly, ready for whatever fight is to come, she glares at the door where his right hand is keeping it closed. His red and black class ring adorns his finger, glowing from the moonlight streaming in.

"I want to start over," he states.

"What?"

She doesn't think she heard him correctly because there is no way that he's asking her to be friends again. Does she think they can do it? Maybe. But not if they can't trust each other. Not if they want to rip off each other's heads every time they're in the same room.

"I need you to forgive me." His voice is soft, almost pained and Elena can imagine his light blue eyes shimmering with emotions that he can never say.

Heat is all she feels as his body overwhelms her, pressing against her. This is the closest they have been in years and it's making Elena's head foggy. It must be the alcohol, she deems while shutting her eyes and leaning her head against the door.

"Please," he whispers.

"Damon." She doesn't know if she's warning him to back off or pleading with him to stop.

"Just forgive me. We can start over. We can be friends again. I need you to forgive me."

His body is close, his words washing over her skin.

"You weren't there," she says carefully. She doesn't want to break under his gaze and so she keeps her body turned, his molding against her like glue. "Everyone else was; Elijah and even Klaus came to the memorial." She doesn't notice him tense under Klaus's name. "Mason was there. Your parents...Stefan..."

"I'm here now though," he points out.

"But for how long? Until the next girl comes along? Or whatever other excuses you can come up with?"

If they were to become friends again she isn't expecting him to change totally. She knows that taking girls away from Damon is like taking a bone away from a dog. And it doesn't bother her that he has sex, it bothers her the way that he treats it; like it means nothing to him.

"We're messy Damon, our whole past is basically a jigsaw puzzle with twists and turns."

"We were friends before. We were really good at being more than friends if I remember correctly."

"I'm different and so are you." Elena shuts her eyes painfully before turning around. Damon is only a breath away from her. "This might prove to be my biggest mistake yet, but okay. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of avoiding. Let's just wipe everything away and start over."

Damon's grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. "Thank you."

"Please don't make me regret this."

"I'm all in this time 'Lena."

By accepting Damon back into her life she just hopes that she won't get burned again. It had taken time to heal from his last betrayal, and she doesn't think she can heal a second time.

* * *

 **So it seems Elena has finally gotten tired of being angry and bitchy towards Damon and for now it seems that Damon wants a clean slate because he thinks he can be better. Honestly, if I held a grudge against someone for two years then I would be tired too.**


	8. There's Oceans In Between Us

**So I suck as an author. I had finals, tests, homework, and then actual work. But tomorrow is my last final and then I'm free for all of summer! I still have big plans for this story. Don't think that I forgot.**

 **If this story is still worthy of all you brilliant readers and reviewers out there then I hope you all appreciate this chapter. Not much happens, but yet, it feels like a lot does. It's sweet, short, and straight to the point.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"Pre-occupied without you.  
_ _I cannot live at all.  
_ _My whole world surrounds you.  
I stumble then I crawl."  
_ ** _Puddle of Mudd-Blurry_**

 _Damon stands at the counter in The Grill. He taps his fingers anxiously while waiting for the food that his mother ordered. It was rare to eat a meal for dinner that Lily did not cook, but on the special occasion she would order food. And since Damon didn't have anything better to do she sent him to go get it._

 _He had been perfectly happy down in their gym that his father built for him and Stefan in the basement of their house. Damon needs to hit something. He needs to keep moving-keep busy-or else his jealousy is going to explode from within._

 _But Lily didn't see it that way and sent him to run her errands._

 _Damon can't stop the images running through his head. Even though Elena assured him that it was just studying with Mason it makes Damon's blood run hot. Mason shouldn't be with Elena when anyone with eyes can see that he's into her. And what makes Damon even more irritable is that Elena doesn't care._

 _The rational side of Damon tells him that she doesn't care because she's dating him, but the irrational side of Damon is much bigger and meaner._

 _"Well don't you look just peachy keen," Klaus's voice taunts as he sidles up to Damon with a shit eating grin._

 _Damon rolls his eyes while stiffening. Klaus and his family came to Mystic Falls early this year and it is obvious that Klaus and Damon do not care for one another. Damon doesn't have time for arrogant, cocky bastards when they don't have the credentials to even be cocky in the first place._

 _"Fuck off," Damon snarls. His eyes narrow dangerously, challenging Klaus to come at him. Getting into a fight with Klaus was just what he needed._

 _"Careful Salvatore. The girl who holds your leash isn't here to pull you back from a fight you can't handle." Klaus makes a tsk sound with his tongue while glancing around. "And where, pray tell, is the beautiful Elena tonight?"_

 _No one should be allowed to think of Elena as beautiful besides Damon. He knows that's selfish of him and he knows that guys talk. He wants to keep Elena separate from everyone who isn't good enough for her though._

 _Damon turns and stands nose to nose with the blonde haired boy._

 _"Lover's quarrel?" Klaus mocks. "Can't say I'm surprised. She always was better than you."_

 _Damon doesn't allow the sting of Klaus's words show, but they definitely make an imprint in his mind. The whole year he has had to listen to Mason Lockwood talk about how awful he is for Elena. He's had to listen to other guys talk about Elena and how do-able she looks. And now he has Klaus beating him down._

 _"I'm giving you one last chance to walk away." Damon's voice is low and threatening._

 _"She's smart, beautiful and funny. The girl every guy should bring home to mother. And yet she's dating you; someone who talks with his fists and has anger issues." Klaus smirks. "She may not see it, but someday you're going to destroy her. Your darkness will overpower her and she'll suffer because of you."_

 _Klaus backs away slowly as Damon just stands there like an idiot. His face is void of emotion as Klaus's words affect him more than they should._

 _"It's quite selfish of you-if you think about it mate." Klaus claps Damon on the shoulder as if they were friends and saunters away._

 _"Order up!" The guy behind the counter announces._

* * *

"Hey mama," Elena smiles brightly while entering the kitchen. She twists her hair up into a messy bun, her loose waves going easily into an up do.

"You're having more to eat than an apple for breakfast, right?" Miranda looks at her daughter who shrugs sheepishly.

"I'm late," she squeaks out meekly. When Miranda raises her eye brow in a challenge Elena grabs an orange and a banana from the fruit bowl they keep fully stocked on the counter. "There."

"Thank you," Miranda smiles. "I have to know that when I'm gone for two weeks next month you'll be able to fend for yourself with food."

"I'll be fine." Quickly grabbing her black hoodie, she zips it over her white tank top that she's wearing and flashes her mom a smile. "I'm nearly eighteen. I'll be off to college next year. I'm going to have to learn to cook eventually. It's either that or starve."

Miranda does not look amused. "Which is why I asked Lily and Giuseppe to look after you while I'm gone."

"Mom," Elena starts to protest.

"They won't be stopping in every day but if you need anything then they're going to be around."

Glancing at the clock, Elena winces as she realizes that she really will be late if she doesn't get a move on.

"I have to go. Don't wait up tonight, it's the guest/employee football game this evening and then I'm heading to the bonfire." She quickly gives her mom a half hug before grabbing her bag, shoving her fruit inside, and rushing out the door. Once she's at her car Elena's smile falters as she can't believe what she's seeing.

Her back tire is flat, probably due to a nail in the road since there are at least three houses on her street having construction done on their roofs.

"Damn it," she curses quietly. Digging through her purse to call Stefan, she whips her head up at a car horn.

Sitting in all his bad boy glory behind his baby blue Camaro is none other than Damon Salvatore. His hair is messy among his forehead, black sunglasses adorn his face so she can't see his ice blue eyes, and he looks casual in his typical black V-neck that clings to his upper body and is loose at the waist.

"Jump in," he welcomes with a smirk.

Elena knows that she must look like an idiot for not moving, but rather she is staring at him with her mouth nearly hanging open. Not once has he ever offered her a ride.

She doesn't know what to think about the truths they had called at Caroline's party a few days ago, but so far everything has been civil between them. They are so far from being friends, but this is a step in the right direction.

His smirk drops and annoyance flashes across his face. "Hurry your ass up or we'll both be late," he demands.

And there's the Damon she knows. Narrowing her eyes, she debates her options before swallowing her pride, hitching her purse over her shoulder and taking a seat by Damon's side.

"Was that so hard?" He asks sarcastically.

Before she can answer he speeds off down the road. Elena lurches forward in her seat, gripping the dashboard to steady herself.

"Are you crazy?" She calls over the wind, cd player, and the pounding of her heart. Scrambling to put her seat belt on she can hear Damon's chuckling as they slow to a stop at the end of their street.

"Relax," he runs his hand through his unruly hair. The smirk is back on his face and it's hard to tell what other emotions are running through him with his black aviators on. "I won't let anything hurt you."

He might not think his words mean much, but to Elena they mean a lot. She may have told him that they could try to be friends again-or at least be civil around each other-but that doesn't mean that she trusts him anymore. A lot has to be repaired for both of them in order for the trust to come back. She's done things and he's done things that they can never take back.

Not to mention the lies that are between them and the mystery as to why Damon left her at the end of freshmen year.

The way he's looking at her now causes a heat to settle low in her stomach and travel to her core. His eye brows are raised in a challenge and his lips are upturned at the corners. She doesn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her nervous or scared and so she plucks his sunglasses off his face and smugly puts them on to block the sun from her eyes.

"I used to be more fun," she chirps while leaning back in the seat and tucking her feet underneath herself to become comfortable.

"I know," he drawls out before pressing hard on the accelerator.

Elena doesn't allow herself to think about the way his muscles stand out under his clothes. Or the way his lips used to feel against her own. She ignores the heat that is settling in her body because she can't allow herself to want Damon again.

She refuses to put herself into a more vulnerable position around him.

* * *

After driving for ten minutes, Elena stealing his sunglasses, and him subtly watching her out of the corner of his eye they both seemed to have relaxed around one another.

"You playing in the game tonight?" He asks her to fill the silence between them. They're just pulling up to work with five minutes left to spare.

"Yah. I think Bex and I are the only two girls who signed up," Elena unbuckles herself and when Damon slowly pulls to a stop it's then that he realizes why she probably was so nervous before.

How could he forget?

He's such an idiot and an asshole for not even considering why she might be scared of his fast driving. She was in an accident two years ago. She nearly drowned and she lost her family. Of course she would be jumpy in his car.

Hell, he would be jumpy too if he went through what she did.

Turning in his seat to get a better look at Elena his heart thuds double the speed it should be pumping. She's just a girl, he reminds himself, and he doesn't do girlfriends anymore. He's not a public sort of guy and that's what people expect. He shouldn't be like this around her, but he can't stop himself.

Damon wants Elena—at least in that moment he says on repeat.

Her hair is wavy and bunched up in a bun, her body is long and slender, and she's sun kissed from the summer. The short shorts that she's wearing are driving him crazy as he sees a hint of a freckly on her upper thigh and through the opening of her hoodie and her thin, white tank top he can see the start of her cleavage hidden by her lifeguard swimsuit.

He has to lick his dry lips. Damon's like a predator and she's his kill.

"Thanks for the loan," she says with an adorable smile, her nose scrunched up like a button.

He stops her.

"Keep em'," he nods. "They look better on you anyways." Winking, he jumps out of the car without even opening his door and rushes around to her side. Without thinking Damon opens the door for her.

He spots her stunned expression on her face. Elena's eyes are wide, brown, and innocent looking as she slowly maneuvers herself out of his car.

Damon's proud that his sunglasses are sitting atop her head now, resting casually as if they belong there.

"Thanks," she stutters out.

From where he parked they have at least a five minute walk. The workers have to park in the back parking lot, away from the main doors.

They are alone, surrounded by dozens of cars, and all Damon wants to do is back Elena up against a vehicle and squeeze her lips between his and grab her warm flesh to hold.

"So," he scratches the back of his neck and tries to calm his dick down. That's the last thing he needs heading into work. There would be no explaining why he came to work with a hard on. "Flat tire, eh?"

"Yup." Elena tucks a stray curl behind her ear. "It must be from the construction around our houses. I parked in the street the past couple of nights so it probably happened then."

"Well, anytime you need a ride to work, you can…I can…just text me." He finally blurts out. Again, he scratches the back of his neck.

Damon doesn't know what's happening with his speech. He's not supposed to be that clumsy. If anyone else from school were to see or hear him they would surely take his title of being King away.

"Thanks, Damon."

The building is in sight and Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, and Alaric are all standing outside, just lounging around by the back door before their shifts start.

Damon sees Matt do a double take before getting Bonnie's attention and pointing over to him and Elena.

"Could he be any more obvious," Damon mutters sarcastically.

"What?" Elena asks innocently.

"Look," Damon nods over to their friends and it's like music to his ears when he hears Elena giggling softly.

He shouldn't be this affected by her still. Damon doesn't know what she's doing to his head—or his body—but just being with her for twenty minutes already has him thinking back to when they were the 'it' couple freshmen year.

"It's like they've never seen us together before," she whispers with wide, flared eyes.

He doesn't know what overcomes him. Later, his actions will play tricks in his head, but he has to admit that whatever is happening feels good.

"Want to give them something to really talk about?"

Elena stops and turns towards him.

Stefan, Mason, and Rebekah are outside now too.

"Like what?" She's intrigued. Her eye brows are quirked, her nose small like a button, and she's biting her lower lip curiously.

Damon wants to be the one biting her lip, but instead he grabs her by the waist and swings her around so she has no choice but to wrap her legs around his torso. Her chest is pressed against his back and she squeals.

"Oh my god! Damon!"

If their friends weren't watching before, they were now because everyone heard Elena scream.

His arms hook around her legs effortlessly and he continues to walk towards the building to clock in.

Cherries and vanilla fill his nose as Elena rests her chin on his shoulder. Their faces are nearly touching and it's as if no time has passed between them.

"Morning everyone," he salutes to their shocked friends. Damon wants to laugh his ass off at the look Mason is giving him. It looks as if Mason is ready to kill him.

"What. The. Hell?" He hears Caroline say slowly before he leads Elena into the backroom to clock in.

"I think it's safe to assume that they all know we aren't going to kill each other this summer," Elena laughs as she hops off the moment they're by the clock machine.

Leaning against the wall with one arm, he wants to look casual. "I don't know," Damon jokes, "We still have a long season ahead of us."

"Whatever," she dismisses before taking off her hoodie and putting his sunglasses back on. "See ya at lunch." He watches her walk away and narrows his eyes with his cocky smirk when she turns back to him. "And no pickles!"


	9. Game On

**Author's Note-so you guys continue to surprise me with encouraging words and reviews. I was seriously expecting people to hate the last chapter due to the long wait. But you guys are amazing! I love writing this story and I have another story in mind for when this one is nearly finished.**

 **Also, since I'm not computer savy is there anyone who is interested in creating a banner or a trailer for this story? If not, that's fine. Just thought it would be cool if we could sum up with story with an amazing picture :)**

* * *

" _I'm just a believer that things will get better.  
_ _Some can take it or leave it,  
_ _But I don't wanna let it go."  
_ American Authors

"Dude, what the hell was that this morning?" Stefan demands the moment Damon steps foot outside with a tray filled with food.

Damon knows what Stefan is referring too but he plays dumb and smirks. "What was what, baby brother?' He's taunting and it makes him smirk the moment Stefan's brows pinch together in frustration.

He really has to get this food to Elena or else her meal and his will be cold and he hates cold food.

"You could barely stand her a week ago and now you're carrying her around as if you guys are friends again." Stefan's arm reaches out and grabs onto Damon's forearm.

Damon whirls around with danger flashing through his eyes.

"You're treading on a fine line right now brother. You wanted me to play nice with her for the summer and that's what I'm doing. Nothing more." Damon purses his lips, glaring Stefan down to make his point stick.

Stefan sighs, running his hand through his hair in frustration and worry. Damon isn't sure what the worry is for; whether it's for him out of brotherly concern or Elena and best friend concern.

"You're my brother but she's my best friend and not once has she walked away from me when I needed her." Stefan takes one step closer and it actually surprises Damon as he watches Stefan stand up for the brunette. "Don't hurt her again."

Damon doesn't acknowledge Stefan or his request. Instead, he shakes his hair out of his eyes and steps around his brother. Everyone wants him to be friends with Elena so they can all have a peaceful summer, and now that he is actually putting in an effort Stefan and others are acting as if Damon has a second agenda. He can't please them.

"Hi, Damon," Andie giggles as he and Stefan continue to walk towards the pool area.

Damon nods her way but doesn't do anything more. He spent one night with her and now she can't let him go.

Stefan chuckles at his brothers antics. "I swear, if we have to sneak out the back door again just to avoid her camping out in front of the house I'm officially calling the police and telling them she's stalking you."

"It's not her fault she can't resist my charm…my irresistibility…my sex." Damon wiggles his eye brows suggestively.

Stefan's face scrunches up. "Yuck. I _so_ do not need to think of that."

Damon acts cocky, but only he knows that the girls that keep flirting with him at the club just aren't doing it for him anymore. Ever since the night of Caroline's party, the night he cornered Elena in the bathroom, no one has been able to make his cock stiff—no one except the image of Elena in his head.

" _Damon," her voice sings while he feels her lips brush against his bare back. Small, soft fingers are gliding down his skin, scraping over the claw marks on his back that she put there the night before. The white sheet sits low on his waist while he buries his head under the pillow._

 _He loves how she wakes him up, but he knows that she can try harder and doesn't want to give her the satisfaction of waking him up right away without having to work for it._

" _Baby," she coos hotly into his ear, biting his ear lobe and tugging like the wildcat that she is._

 _Peeking out to the side he sees her bare chest right before his eyes, curving into his body and he salivates at the idea of taking her dusky nipple between his teeth and making her call out his name time and time again._

 _Her nails scrape lower on his back and she plays with the sheet covering his bottom half._

" _I need you right now," she whispers, her lips pressing against his hot skin, traveling lower on his body._

 _Shutting his eyes blissfully, he rolls over as Elena's body slides over his, her thighs gripping either side of his hips. His cock brushes against her bare core and he can feel her wetness pooling between her legs._

" _God," he moans. "You're so wet for me baby."_

" _Only you," she smirks down at him._

 _Elena's hands travel up his neck, tickling his skin lightly with her teases, before her right hand cups his cheek. Before she can move, his hand reaches up and holds her in place. Opening his eyes he smiles up at her._

 _Her hair is creating a curtain around them and it's only them in his world._

 _No one else._

" _Do you need me too?" She grins like a Cheshire cat._

" _Always," he promises before sliding into her, filling her to the hilt._

 _He's mesmerized by the way she arches her back in pleasure. She's trapped between feeling the sweet pain and blissful pleasure and Damon can't take his eyes away from how she looks above him._

" _Oh god, Damon!" She cries, her hips rocking against him in a glorious rhythm._

Damon had woken up with the stiffest erection he had ever experienced. He doesn't know where that dream came from or how he managed to picture Elena since they had never gone that far physically in their relationship before. The dream unnerved him, but at the same time started a carnal desire.

Damon narrows his eyes as his body freezes. What the hell is Mason doing?

"That doesn't look good," Stefan mumbles, coming up to Damon's side.

Damon sometimes thinks that Stefan purposefully states the obvious.

Over in their corner is Mason who is tilting his head down towards Elena. Elena has her body backed against the wall. There are no other guests around and that's one of the reasons why Damon and Elena eat at those tables.

Mason's saying something as Elena looks up at him in surprise. Damon has seen this look a hundred times before. Neither look happy as Mason points directly at Elena, his face scrunching up in anger.

Whatever he is saying is making Elena fold her lower lip between her teeth and cross her arms. She looks uncomfortable and this makes Damon charge over.

"Is there a problem?" Damon smirks, placing his tray down that holds all the food.

Mason gives Elena one last look before turning around and squaring off with Damon. "Nothing that concerns you."

Elena is looking down at the ground instead of at him and this makes Damon's hatred of Lockwood flare up. Whatever he said to her is obviously making Elena upset to the point where she won't even make eye contact with him. Damon feels as if they took a step forward in their friendship this morning and he doesn't want to take a step back.

"Why don't you take a beat," Damon suggests. Taking a step forward, Damon crosses his arms, letting his upper body muscle become prominent.

Mason must notice just how serious Damon is because he takes one last deep, seething breath before turning around to face Elena again.

"Just remember what I told you," he says to her before storming off.

Elena instantly sits down and runs her hands through her hair. "Thanks," she mumbles, using her brunette waves as a shield.

Damon instantly wishes Mason would just leave her alone. Whatever he said to her makes Damon want to punch him until he can't speak anymore because Elena should be smiling and laughing right now.

"Look at me," Damon demands softly. Or at least he hopes he's speaking to her in a nice tone, but his irritation for Lockwood has him on edge. He feels the need to hit something, a feeling he hasn't felt in a while now.

When Elena looks at him with such a curious face he smiles. "Whatever he said to you: brush it off. They're just words and Lockwood means nothing. No one has the right to make you upset." Damon stretches and puts his hands behind his head. "Plus," he smirks, "I happen to know how the teams are divided for the football game tonight. You want to be stronger than him? Then beat him on the field, in his own game."

* * *

Elena pumps her legs harder, running after Rebekah who has the ball currently. She dodges Alaric who is blocking for Rebekah and pushes herself harder to catch up to her friend. Narrowing her eyes, she flings herself forward and grabs onto the yellow flag attached to the slim girl's hip.

She grins victoriously as she feels the slick piece of equipment in her hand and she tugs as her body falls to the ground. She can hear the crowd-especially Bonnie and Caroline-who are cheering for both sides.

"Impressive." Stefan stands at Elena's side, looking down on her. He offers her his hand and he hauls her up. She smiles brightly at Rebekah who retrieves her flag.

The teams were separated evenly as far as Elena can tell. The two girls were put on different teams much to Rebekah's dislike. Stefan and Damon are separated-Stefan being on Elena's team. Damon, Alaric, and Mason are all on Rebekah's team-along with other faculty and guests who signed up to play. While Elena has Matt and Tyler also on her team with guests.

She doesn't know how Damon knew she would be against Mason in this game, but with every block, catch, and touchdown her teams makes she feels as if she's rubbing it in Mason's face. It's petty and it shouldn't make her feel better, but he deserves it as their conversation from earlier in the day is fresh in her mind.

" _Salvatore is using you."_

" _He's an asshole who only wants one thing from you."_

" _You're nothing but a whore in his eye."_

"You're getting cocky," Damon whispers to Elena, right up against her ear as she walks past him. Just as quickly as he came, his body leaves hers as he travels back to his team who are all huddled together.

His body warmth is still attached to her skin and she can't deny his scent that filtered through her nose. Damon smells like mint and woods all rolled into one. It's intoxicating.

"I haven't seen you smile this much in a long time," Stefan says thoughtfully as they slowly trudge back to their team.

"I smile," Elena defends herself quickly.

"It looks like you swallowed a clothes hanger," he teases before they rejoin their group and get back to business.

The game continues for another twenty-five minutes before the time really starts to crunch down and there's only a minute left. Both teams have put in their best effort and for the time being Elena, along with everyone else, is surprised that somehow Mason and Damon haven't killed each other yet.

Her team has the ball, they're only five yards from the end zone, and everyone is basically exhausted.

"Last chance," Alaric taunts Elena as he passes by her. He had just effectively pulled Tyler's flag before he could make it into the end zone.

Elena bumps his shoulder playfully. "Then we better make it count, huh?"

"You can try," Damon speaks up from behind her. Once again his mouth is near her ear as his body is as close as possible to her without actually touching. "But there's no way I'm letting anyone past that line."

His body is drenched in sweat and Elena cant' help but notice how the strands of his hair are sticking together in a beautiful mess. His blue jersey grips his upper arms but is loose on his waist. She knows what the jersey is hiding underneath and she can't stop herself from licking her dry lips.

"Although you'll look good trying," he adds before giving her his famous wink and departing.

She tells herself to snap out of it. This is just Damon's way of getting inside her head for the sake of the game.

But what if it's not?

What if he really did think she looks good out on the field? She knows from being with him that Damon can't stand girls who just sit on the sidelines. He likes his girls to be busy, tough, and athletic. Nothing too girly for him or else he gets bored.

Her body is hot from the heat she tells herself. It's not hot because of Damon and his words. She can feel a bead of sweat trickle down her spine. Her whole body is clammy and glistening; much like everyone else on the field.

Twirling back to her team she hears Stefan direct everyone. It makes sense that he's calling the shots because he is used to it on the football field.

Tyler shouts something encouraging and they all break apart. She narrows her eyes as she watches Rebekah and Damon talking very closely on the field. It's not normal for Elena to feel this way, but Rebekah is single and Damon likes to go for the blondes. But Rebekah would never do that to her. A nice girl doesn't date her friend's ex-boyfriend.

Matt snaps the ball and Elena takes off running. Damon's team looks confused for just a moment as everyone scrambles around on the field. Stefan holds onto the ball as he scans their team for an open player. Elena can catch, but what she's best at is running. It's too late for her to turn back around for a pass.

She side steps around Alaric and goes to the left outside. Stefan throws a perfect spiral to her which she thankfully catches and she takes off. For a moment Elena thinks that she's in the clear until Damon comes into view. Her eyes catch his and she barrels ahead, forcing herself to sprint faster.

Elena wants to beat Damon at his own game; especially since she's running in the same position he plays.

His hand swipes out to pull her flag, but she puts all of her weight on her right foot, pounding her shoe into the ground to stop herself, and then she uses momentum to push off the ground and run straight forward on his left side. She doesn't believe it at first but she actually tricked Damon into thinking she was going to run to the right.

From her place in the end zone she slams the ball down and the game is done.

Cheers ring out as the viewers flood the field. Wiping the sweat from her brow she goes to reach for the football she threw down but is surprised when two large arms wrap around her. Elena grabs onto the two arms holding her close to their chest and she squeals with laughter as her legs are lifted off the ground in the tightest hug she's felt in a long time.

"Who taught you that move?" The deep voice growls into her neck.

When she's put back on the ground Damon doesn't move from behind her. His arms stay hanging over her shoulders as his chest molds perfectly to her back. His chin rests on her shoulder and she knows he must be bending his knees a little in order to lean on her.

"Never in my dreams had I imagined that you'd use it against me," Damon whispers against her.

There are people scattered all around them, couples kissing and holding one another, friends laughing and cheering, but everyone fades away the moment his breath tickles her face.

Shutting her eyes, Elena's breath becomes shallow.

"Dreams?" Elena teases. "You dream of me?"

"Uh-huh," he mumbles, his fingers possessively trailing down her arms to settle on her hips. She's only wearing thin, cotton shorts and it's like his body heat is burning through all her defenses. "And in every dream you have me going crazy."

Pushing up her jersey, she feels his finger tips caressing the sliver of skin that is showing. Elena sucks in a breath as she tries to keep the fire at bay in her stomach.

"But I drive you crazy too," he warns. "In my dreams we are no longer kids growing up. We're two adults who make each other so hot and bothered that I'm like a steel rod and you're soaked through your scrap of lace."

"Hey Captain!" Alaric jumps out from behind Elena and Damon and slings his arms around their necks. He's smirking and Elena knows that Alaric saw what Damon was doing to her. "And hello Miss. Elena. Looks like you got moves on the field."

Damon snorts as the three friends start walking over to the golf carts parked along the bleachers. "Moves I taught her," he mumbles.

"You excited for the after party?" Alaric asks. "I know a few guys who are interested in you. If you want me to set you up that is."

Alaric is testing the waters between Damon and Elena. He's trying to get a rise out of either one of them.

She's still trying to get her breathing regular again as she catches Damon's eye. They're intense-belonging to a life like savage. He reminds her of a predator who she should stay away from, but is drawn to instead.

She watches as Damon's eyes narrow in a slight challenge. He's begging her to respond to him and she doesn't want to give him the satisfaction. Elena doesn't know what his goal is with her, but she's starting to think he doesn't want to just be friends anymore.

And she refuses to be a one-time girl for him.

 _Game on,_ she thinks as Damon's hand brushes against her back the moment she steps into the golf cart.

"That sounds great Ric," she chirps happily as Damon's widen in surprise before turning into daggers. "I think it's time I get back into the dating game."

Damon's face is like stone the moment Elena announces she wants to date. She takes a sick pride in making him upset. He can't expect to treat her like nothing has happened between them, making her hot and bothered like that on the field, and then expect her to be docile. It doesn't work like that and Elena refuses to be used by him.

She has to protect her heart from Damon Salvatore.


	10. Crazy, Beautiful

**You guys might want to shoot me after reading the end of this chapter, or you might want to keep reading. I hope it's the later :)**

* * *

 _"I just wanna, oh baby.  
I just want you to dance with me tonight.  
So come on, oh baby.  
I just want you to dance with me tonight."  
_Olly Murs

Damon opens his locker while whistling a catchy tune. He grabs his white towel from his duffel bag and slings it over his bare shoulder.

It is after the football game and people are getting ready for Caroline's party that night.

"What has you so happy?" Stefan asks while throwing his shirt into his own locker.

Damon looks at his brother with a self satisfied smirk and shrugs one shoulder lazily. He can't help but think about Elena out on the field during the game. She was fierce, smart, and determined. It has been a while since he's seen her so full of energy like that.

Damon can't help but think that it's his fault he hasn't seen her like that, but watching her on the field, it was like she was the old Elena again—before her father's death.

"Can't I just smile, brother?" Damon raises his eye brows in a challenge and after a moment of locking eyes with Stefan, he sees his brother's resolve melt away and Stefan is smiling too.

It's as if a hundred pound weight was lifted off Stefan's chest and he's finally breathing again. Damon pats Stefan on the shoulder before wrapping the towel around his slim waist and getting rid of his athletic shorts and boxers.

"That's the spirit, Stef," Damon cheers. "Just smile."

" _Just cool off man. We don't need a confrontation_." Tyler's voice travels throughout the whole locker room.

Damon counts down from five in his head to calm himself. He can already picture Tyler following a pissed off Mason.

"Salvatore!" Mason's voice bellows lowly throughout the row of lockers.

Alaric and Stefan are behind Damon while Tyler and Matt look hesitantly between the two feuding men.

Damon crosses his arms, making sure his chest and arms look the most intimidating. He doesn't plan on fighting Mason, but he wouldn't put it past Lockwood to start a brawl.

"What can I do for you on this fine evening?" Damon drawls. He leans against the metal lockers next to him, appearing to be casual but dangerous.

Mason's mouth ticks a little as he squares up to Damon.

"Fuck you, Salvatore!" Mason takes one step forward and jams his fingers into Damon's chest.

Damon won't admit it, but damn, that finger hurt.

"Woah," Alaric hops in the middle and nudges Mason back. "What's this about Mase? You two were on the same losing team. How could you possibly be mad at Damon now?"

Mason is spitting fire at Damon through his narrowed eyes. He jerks his head at Damon and Damon can't help but flaring his eyes for dramatics. This irritates Mason even more.

"If you touch her again I'll finish you. Elena might not be able to see that you're playing her but I do. Stay away from her."

"Or what?" Damon challenges. Just hearing Elena's name has him standing straight again. He taps Alaric on the shoulder and his best friend moves out of the way.

This war between Mason and Damon has been going on long enough over the crazy, beautiful Elena Gilbert. Within a nanosecond Damon's mood switches from relaxed to murderous. There's tightness in his chest and his body becomes rigid.

"She's not yours," Damon snarls. "And from what I've heard she doesn't want to be yours. So maybe it's time you took a beat and stayed away from her."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Mason growls lowly, taking a fraction of a step closer. "Get me out of the way so you can have her all to yourself."

The idea is intriguing to Damon and he lets a smile flirt across his features.

"Don't kid yourself, Mase," Damon chirps. He grabs his second towel from the bench before passing Mason with a pat on the back. It's mocking and infuriating. "If I wanted Elena, I wouldn't have to get you out of the way. She chose me once before; nothing is stopping her from doing so again."

Passing by Matt and Tyler who both have wide eyed expressions Damon starts to whistle again.

"Stop man," Tyler warns Mason as he tries to advance again. "Go cool off before the party. Now."

"What song is that?" Alaric asks behind Damon.

"It's Elena's song," Damon smiles before stepping into the privacy of a steaming stall of hot water.

* * *

 _Elena's sweet laughter is filling his ears the moments he leads them back to his room. It's nearly_ _dark out, the sun has set for the day, and so he flicks on his desk lamp to create a soft glow._

 _Damon can't take his eyes off of Elena. She's wearing a new black bikini swim suit, her hair is in wet, natural curls, and she's looking at him with an intensity that he's never seen before. Suddenly, he doesn't want to give her a t-shirt or a towel to dry off. Instead, he takes a step forward and licks his dry lips._

 _"What are you doing?" Elena asks. She takes a step back to counter him but instead he still proceeds. Soon, she's backed against his door and the moment she realizes his carnal intentions she smiles coyly. "Why Mr. Salvatore," she uses a southern accent. "What type of lady do you take me for?"_

 _Damon cups her face and grips the back of her head to angle her perfectly. His forehead leans on hers and their lips are only millimeters away from one another._

 _"Mine," he demands before his mouth clashes over her. This is the closest they've ever been physically. Damon's bare chest pressed against her nearly naked one is driving him wild as he feels her heated skin against his own. Running one of his hands down her shoulder, arm, and then her bare stomach where he grips her hip in a possessive hold._

 _Elena's hands don't stay still for long before she attaches herself completely to Damon. He's pretty sure Elena could have him purring if she wanted to with the way her hands glide along his body, touching him in all the right places._

 _They've been together for only two months, but they've been friends since birth. Damon can't deny that he's thought of Elena in a sexual way. She was his girlfriend after all, and it was becoming more and more common to be waking up with the world's hardest erection and his girlfriend on the mind._

 _But she wasn't ready for that, and Damon isn't going to pressure her._

 _Damon's hands ghost behind Elena, slowly settling on her lower back when all he really wants to be doing is grabbing her ass and having her wrap her perfect legs around his waist._

 _"Damon," she groans as his mouth presses hard kisses to her jaw, neck, and then collarbone._

 _His mouth is hot against her neck and by now she should be able to feel his erection right against her leg. If she stops him now, he doesn't know when he'll be able to take a cold shower next; he certainly can't do it with her over at the house._

 _He begs her silently not to ask him to stop._

 _"Damon," her nails rake down his back, and then they tangle in his hair again. "I want more," she whispers in his ear and he nearly convulses just thinking of what that means._

 _Certainly she doesn't mean sex, does she? Because he's not even certain he's ready for that step and so he uses all his will power to pull back from her delectable neck to look at her._

 _"More?" He connects their foreheads so he's breathing her in. He needs to be touching her in some way._

 _Elena nods her head while biting her lower lip. Just that action alone has his swim trunks tightening even more._

 _"Not sex," she stammers while a faint blush coats her cheeks._

 _Damon smiles and pushes back her hair, lightly cupping the side of her head to hold her. His fingers rub circles against her scalp, playing with her ringlets in reassurance._

 _"But," she trails off and Damon pinches his eye brows in confusion. Elena is still nibbling her bottom lip, trying to find the right words to say. Eventually she nudges Damon away from her, and he watches in astonishment when she reaches to the back of her bikini and unties the two strings. Floating from her body, Damon freezes and watches as she unties the other two strings around the middle of her back and the scrap of material is now lying on his floor._

 _"I think this is the next step," she bashfully says, chuckling slightly while scratching the back of her head. It's a nervous habit that he noticed about her that year._

 _Damon doesn't know what to do. His body is springing to life and the view of Elena topless has his pulse racing. He's afraid that he's going to have a heart attack as he can't stop his eyes from traveling over her small curves, her two dusky nipples that are swollen and hard, but at the same time he wants to look at her face and reassure her that she's beautiful and she shouldn't be blushing this hard from embarrassment._

 _"Fuck," he mumbles while running a hand through his hair._

 _"Damon, do you have my foot ball shir-" Stefan stops mid word as he walks into Damon's room through the bathroom and sees Elena standing against Damon's door._

 _Elena yelps in surprise as she brings her arms up to cover herself. Damon throws himself on top of Elena and glares at Stefan who is still just standing in the entry way._

 _"Get out!" Damon commands._

 _"Right," Stefan stumbles over his words. "I uh...yah...sorry."_

 _Damon's still glaring at the spot Stefan ran from, but it's Elena's sweet laughter that pulls him back._

 _"Hey," Damon coos once his temper is in check. His bare chest is actually pressed against her bare skin and it feels amazing. "You're beautiful," he whispers before connecting their lips once again._

* * *

Elena walks into the party with Stefan. He was kind enough to take her to the party because she doesn't have her car due to the flat tire.

Classmates greet Stefan and Elena left and right and it takes five minutes to make it from the gate of Caroline's fence to their friends who are all standing around the corner of the deck.

"You guys are finally here!" Caroline exclaims. She's the first to spot them and doesn't hesitate to wrap her arms around Stefan and Elena at the same time.

"Someone started early with their drinks," Elena teases.

The blonde pulls back and scrunches her face in confusion. "It's five o'clock somewhere."

Elena is pulled into a series of hugs by their friends and she's shocked into speechlessness when she sees Damon standing with Alaric. Usually he would be off on the dance floor looking for his next conquest or he would already be in one of the guest rooms fucking some other girl.

He looks at her with a smirk.

"What?" He asks while opening his arms. "No hello hug for me?" He raises his eye brows and it takes a second for Elena to greet him.

His arms are warm and tight around her lower back, her front molding into his chest as if the last two years never happened.

Elena's heart is racing as the smell of Damon overwhelms her. He's minty with a hint of leather and spice and it's intoxicating.

But the fact of the matter is, the last two years did happen. He abandoned her and she won't fall into his trap again.

"Stefan told me about Mason," Elena says quietly as everyone else around them goes back to conversing. "I'm sorry," she admits.

"Don't apologize for that asshole 'Lena." She doesn't correct him on the nickname he gave her years ago. His blue eyes hold her. "I'm a big boy. I can handle myself when it comes to Lockwood."

"Okay, because I just—"

"Dance time," Alaric interrupts while thrusting his hand out in front of Elena. She spots Damon glaring at their friend and if looks could kill then she's pretty sure that Alaric would be six feet under about now.

She gives Damon an apologetic look before accepting Alaric's offer. There's a rap song playing and they easily fall into the crowd of dancing bodies.

"He was whistling today," Alaric has to shout over the music for Elena to hear.

She's pretty sure he's talking about Damon because that's the only person her friends talk to her about. It seems Caroline and Bonnie thought there was something going on between her and him too because they wouldn't stop texting her after the game when they were setting up the party.

But Elena shot down all of their questions and theories because she has to protect her heart this time.

"He's changing," Alaric points out.

He spins her out before pulling her back into his arms. "You're changing too," he continues to say when she doesn't respond.

But that catches her attention.

"What do you mean?"

"You're smiling a lot, you two aren't killing each other…hell, you guys even have lunch together every day. That's a huge change for you two."

Elena and Alaric don't talk much as they continue to dance. They take a few shots that are being passed around and before she knows it she is being transferred into Aaron's arms. He's her schools mascot and their dance is easy and playful.

"You look great tonight, Elena," Aaron compliments.

His cheeks are a shade of rosy—probably from the alcohol being passed around—and his hair is sticking up in places due to the humidity.

"Thanks, you do too," she shouts over the music. And he really does. He's wearing a grey t-shirt that has their school logo on it and a pair of khaki shorts that nearly every guy owns in her class. His arms nearly fill out the shirt he's wearing, although not completely.

"I was actually wondering if maybe you would like to go catch a movie or something…with me?" Aaron is filled with hope and a small lump forms in the back of Elena's throat.

She did tell Alaric that she should get back in the game, but she has honestly never thought of Aaron in a romantic way. She doesn't know why. He's cute, funny, and overall a nice guy.

She has nothing to lose, and she ignores the empty feeling she has. Shouldn't her stomach being flipping with butterflies at the prospect of going out with a guy?

"Sure," she agrees. "You have my number, right?"

"Yah."

"Give me a call sometime then."

Elena's skin breaks out in a light sweat and she can feel two eyes burning holes into the back of her neck. That only means one person: Damon.

Glancing around she spots Damon nearby, dancing with a girl named April. April goes to Elena's school and she's a year younger.

She watches nervously as Damon detaches himself from the girl and stalks his way over. Elena glances back at Aaron who has obviously seen Damon too. His eyes are a little wide as Damon grins.

"Whitmore," he greets with a nod.

"Damon," Aaron nods back evenly. He's slightly weary and Elena nearly wants to roll her eyes at the fact that Aaron is intimidated by Damon. Isn't there anyone in their schools that can stand up to him?

"Would you mind if I cut in?" He asks sweetly and Elena narrows her eyes at his tone. There's nothing sweet about Damon.

"Uh," Aaron looks at Elena. "Sure. I'll call you."

When Aaron is gone Elena turns and before she can say anything, Damon spins her around again so that her back is to his front and his side of the face is pressed against hers. Through her thin dress she can feel Damon's slightly sweaty, sticky body as it molds to her.

Their bodies start to move as one, blending into the couples on the dance floor who are also grinding to the rap song.

His hands glide over her shoulders, down her arms. One of his hands possesses her lower waist while the other slides further down so he's gripping her thigh right where her dress ends.

It's controlling, hot, and dominant. This isn't the Damon who blushed when he first saw her topless. No, this is a mature Damon. A Damon who knows exactly what he wants.

"Damon," she doesn't know if it's a warning or a plead to keep going.

His digits squeeze her, gripping her skin so tight that she might have bruises the next day. It's rough and burning; like a fire scorching her skin and leaving its mark. Her head tips back as Damon's mouth is so close to her ear that his breath is creating moisture on her skin.

"I never knew you were into Whitmore," he accuses darkly.

"That…doesn't concern you," she stammers out as his hand moves higher up her thigh, slipping underneath her dress that is already short on her. "Damon, stop."

The tempo of the music picks up and their hips push into one another. She can feel his erection against her back and she tells herself it's only because he's a male and he's used to having sex. It's not because of her.

"God you feel good," he groans into her. His lips are pressed against her skin and all of a sudden she's putty in his hands; as if they are the same fifteen year olds from before. "Don't you want me too? Don't you miss this?"

"I—" she takes a deep breath as his hand slides further up and she feels him brush against her damp panties. "Damon," she moans.

"You want me just as much as I want you," he accuses. "It's not Whitmore that makes you this wet. It's not Lockwood. It's only me. Say it," he demands. "Say it's only me."

Elena concentrates on his skilled fingers, pushing her panties aside and she feels him brush against her lower lips. Shutting her eyes, she leans back into Damon and shivers as the cold metal of his class ring moves along her folds.

"Say it," he growls roughly.

"Fuck," she groans as he spreads her like butter and slips a finger inside. His ring brushes against her clit and her knees nearly buckle.

She can feel Damon smiling as his face buries in her exposed neck. "God, I knew I could have you again. I knew what we had isn't lost."

And his words are like a bucket of ice. The color drains from her face and she looks around to notice that thankfully no one else on the dance floor has witnessed Damon fucking her with his hand.

She pushes away from him and turns around. Elena makes sure that there is a good distance between them. What was she thinking?

"That's what this is about?" She demands. "Having me again? Proving that you didn't fuck up enough two years ago so that way you can nail me this time? Think again Damon. Because what we had is lost. In fact, it's not even lost. It's dead." She goes to walk around him but he grabs her arm.

"Elena."

"Don't," she yanks her arm free. "You ruined us. And I'm not giving you another chance to ruin me again. Stay the hell away from me."

Elena doesn't want to go inside to the guest room that is always waiting for her, but she doesn't want to go home either because it's still relatively early, and her mom might be still awake. She doesn't want to be questioned by her mother for coming home early. She just wants to be left alone.

So Elena gets into her car and drives to the only place in town that is peaceful and quiet.

It only takes five minutes to reach the cemetery and it's easy to park her SUV because there is no one else around at eleven at night.

"Hey dad…Jeremy," she greets softly. "Mind some company?"

Before she can kneel down, she hears a car in the distance. Turning around she doesn't believe her eyes when she sees Damon hop out of his camaro and stroll towards her.

"Just hear me out," he requests.

"I don't want too," she cries in desperation. "I don't want to hear you out. I don't want to see you. I don't want to be around you. I've been perfectly fine on my own for years now. I don't need you to ruin my life again."

"Please tell me I'm not too late," he pleads with desperation in his eyes. His eyes are wide and wild as he walks up to her. He grips her upper arms and holds on for dear life. "I can't explain it Elena, but god I miss you. Please tell me I'm not too late."

She looks up at him with tears in her eyes. Damon has never physically hurt her. But mentally and emotionally? Yes, he has hurt her every time he flaunts his sex mates in front of her at parties. She knows that she's dated too, moved on from him (or at least tried) but never once has she purposefully hurt him. Can she forgive him for abandoning her?

Not until he gives her a reason.

"Where were you when I woke up in the hospital?"

"What?" His eyes search her face desperately, being caught off guard by her shaky question.

Her voice grows louder. "Where were you!?"

"That doesn't matter right now," he insists quickly. "What matters is that I'm here now. I don't want you seeing other guys. I know I don't have the right to say that but I'm saying it anyways."

"Where were you?" She hisses. She wants answers.

It takes a moment for Damon to let his arms drop and his whole body seems to be drowning with the weight of whatever he is hiding.

"I can't tell you."

She raises her chin and musters the strength she's used over the years to move on. "Then yes, you are too late," she concedes.

"Please—"

"Don't," Elena cuts him off. "I needed you the most and you weren't there. You're never there," she cries before leaving him alone in the cemetery at night.

She doesn't look back.


	11. I Want You to Want Me

**Author's Note-You guys are amazing! Seriously, your reviews are the best and I thought I would upload this chapter early. Some fluff, a little clue to Damon, and then of course Elena and Damon interaction!**

* * *

 _"I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me.  
I'm begging you to beg me.  
I want you to want me.  
I need you to need me.  
I'd love you to love me."  
_Cheap Trick

"Wake up call," Caroline's voice sings out as she plops down on Elena's bed.

Elena pulls the pillow off her head and holds it up for the blonde. "Do me a favor Care?"

"Anything," she chirps.

"Smother me with this pillow until I die from lack of oxygen," Elena pleads before burying her head under the peach pillow once more.

Elena can tell Caroline is rolling her eyes at her dramatics, but she doesn't care. The previous night was a disaster. Not only did she allow Damon to go that far with her, she then pushed him away because he was becoming too greedy with their friendship. He thinks that he can just walk back into her life as if the last two years didn't happen, but she won't allow herself to fall again. And if that means that she can't be friends with him because her feelings for him were obviously out of control whenever he is around, then she will just have to distance herself again from him.

No problem.

Except there is a problem. She can feel whenever he's near. The night before, when she had been dancing with Aaron, she could feel his eyes piercing into the back of her. She felt his eyes travel over her heated skin, around her ass, and back to her glistening neck. It was as if he was eye fucking her and she wasn't even looking at him.

It's like a spider tingling sense and it only flares up when Damon is concerned.

"Oh come on," Caroline coos. "Whatever happened it can't be that bad."

Elena flings her pillow off her head, letting it thump to the ground where her discarded dress is. She's only in a sports bra and pair of boy short panties but she doesn't care. Caroline has seen her in less while in the locker room.

"If I tell you what happened you can't tell anyone, you promise?" Elena warns gravely.

She knows that her blonde friend isn't the best at keeping secrets, but if she's serious enough then Caroline will guard this truth with her life.

"Oh," Caroline squeals while making herself comfortable on the bed. "Dirty details. I promise."

"Damon...he and I...he said that he..."

"Elena," the blonde says slowly as if Elena needs explaining too. "Just spit it out. Whatever it is I won't judge you. I promise."

Elena knows that out of Bonnie, Rebekah, and Caroline that Caroline will be the last to judge her. Especially since Elena had covered for the blonde the summer before when she was coming to an end with Klaus but starting to see Tyler at the same time. Caroline owes her this.

"We were dancing and he started being all possessive and dominant and-"

"An ass?" Caroline butts in.

"And hot," Elena quickly corrects with a slight blush. She is lying on her back, not looking at her friend because she doesn't want to see her friend's reaction; especially since Caroline has been the President of the Mason and Elena fan club.

"He got inside my head and the next thing I know he has his fingers in me and I freaked-"

"While on the dance floor?" Caroline cuts in. Elena can't sense excitement or disgust in her friend's question.

"Yes, but I stopped him right away-at least I think I did. I don't know. But I stormed off because I can't do this again, Care. I can't let myself fall for him because...I just can't."

"You can't or you won't fall for him?" The head cheerleader asks quietly.

Elena looks at her sheepishly, the covers pulled up to her chin in hopes that her bed can keep her safe from the rest of the world and her feelings.

"What do you mean?"

"Elena," Caroline taps her on the nose like a small child. "If you can't fall for him then you don't possess the power to like him again, but if you won't fall for him then that means there is a choice. You can choose to let him in again or you can choose to push him away."

Caroline sits up and grabs a white bag that Elena didn't notice sitting on her bedside table. "Personally, I believe in everyone having a choice. You just need to figure out if you really want to shut Damon out or maybe you can let go of your anger and forgive him. It's your choice."

Elena lets her friend's words sink in while sitting up in her bed also.

"Thanks Caroline."

"No problem. And I brought you a muffin. I figured you'd want it this morning. Chocolate chip, your favorite."

It takes Elena less than three seconds to grab the bag and start eating her favorite type of muffin.

"And since it's our day off, I thought we could drive up to our cabins and make sure everything is all set for this weekend."

"I knew by accepting this muffin there was going to be a catch," Elena groans.

Their families bought summer cabins next door to each other a decade ago. Elena and her family used to vacation there every summer with the Salvatores and sometimes Caroline's family would join. And now the teenagers just go there once a year every first weekend in July to celebrate the Fourth.

"What else do you have to do besides wallow in bed and feel like a dirty, hot whore?"

"Caroline!" Elena screeches before they both break out into laughter. She grabs her discarded pillow and flings it at her friend.

"I'm just kidding, but seriously, let's get out of the house today. The cabins will only take a few hours to make sure everything is ready and I'll have you back home to wallow by seven o'clock tonight."

"Fine," she begrudgingly agrees. "Let me at least take a shower first."

* * *

 _"Alaric," Damon breathes into the phone. His hand is gripping the phone so tight that he's afraid it'll break. "I...," tears clog his throat but he pushes forward. "I need your help man."_

 _Glancing behind his back, he sees a finger twitch and that's reassuring. If there's movement then he's not dead._

 _"Can you take your parents car and meet me at Mystic Park?" Damon's voice cracks._

 _Blood is running down the side of his face, his knuckles are torn and bruised with blood coating his skin, and he's praying to God that the darkness of the night and rain pelting from the sky is enough to keep everyone away from the town's local park for the evening._

 _Alaric doesn't have his license but he has his learners permit and although it's illegal, he knows that Alaric won't have a problem using his parents' car due to them barely being home._

 _"Thanks," he mumbles before hanging up._

 _Turning back around he sinks to the ground and pulls his legs to his chest. Closing his eyes he can't stop the mental images of his fists slamming into the bodies lifeless head. He can hear the cracks, the groans, the protests to stop but he didn't._

 _He didn't stop and now he's paying for the consequence._

 _What did he do?_

 _But that's the problem. He knows exactly what he did. He was defending Elena and his relationship. He was defending himself, trying to prove that he wasn't a fuck up who was just dragging Elena around because she was some prize. No, their relationship is better than that. But by trying to prove himself, he ironically proved just how Klaus and Mason were right._

 _He is a fuck up who will bring her down._

 _A cough brings Damon out of his turmoil._

 _Coughing...that's good. He's not dead._

Damon jerks awake and breathes heavily. Sweat is running down his forehead and he's panting as if he has just run a marathon. Running his hands through his hair he swings his legs out of bed and makes his way downstairs to the kitchen.

It's late or early in the morning depending on the person. The moon is still shining and there are stars littering the sky.

Grabbing a glass of water Damon steps outside and enjoys the very light breeze that caresses his bare, heated chest. It's humid and sticky but anything is better than going back to sleep after his reoccurring nightmare.

Leaning against the deck in the backyard he squints his eyes to see a slim figure sitting in a lawn chair a few houses over in the Gilberts backyard. Their outside lights are on and his eyes widen as he watches Elena stand up and close the book that she was either reading or writing in.

Smiling softly, he sets his water glass down on a table and rests his forearms against the deck railing. Feeling like a slight stalker, he watches as Elena pushes her chair in, grabs her discarded shoes from the ground and wraps the little robe she's wearing tighter around her body.

It has been only one day after Caroline's party, but he didn't see the brunette at work that day, and so it feels like a lifetime since seeing her.

Running his hand through his hair, Damon sighs in disappointment. He cannot tell her what happened the night she was in the car accident. She would never look at him the same way. And even if she can look past his horrible secret, why would she want to be with him still? Damon knows that he's done nothing to reassure her that he's a better man.

But hearing her being asked on a date was the straw that broke the camel's back. He doesn't want her dating anyone. And he certainly doesn't want anyone touching her. Elena's too good for all their classmates.

Damon's eyes widen when he sees Elena pause at her back screen door and look his way. It's dark out, but both their porch lights are on in the back.

She has one hand on the door handle, ready to go inside and his breath catches in his throat the moment she looks at him.

Smiling slightly, he nods his head in greeting, trying to play it cool since she basically caught him staring at her like a creeper. He can tell she's hesitant because she doesn't really respond to him at all.

Watching her walk inside pains him. Did he really lose her forever though? Damon doesn't believe that. They were friends once before they started dating, and they could be friends again. They were doing well before Whitmore asked Elena on a date.

But they can never go back, Damon decides before jogging over to Elena's house. He needs to speak to her before he loses his courage.

Praying that the door isn't locked, he carefully slides the glass door open. Everything is pitch black in the house as he quietly walks up the stairs to Elena's room. Luckily, her room is the furthest from Miranda's room.

Placing his hand on the doorknob, he takes a deep breath before walking in. Elena's sitting on her window seat, the lights off and only the full moon's light streaming through the window. She's looking out her window-towards his house-and Damon smiles to himself because he knows that she has a perfect view to his backyard from her spot.

Does that mean that she watches for him too?

"Shh," he shushes softly as he places a hand over her mouth before she can scream in fright.

Her eyes are wide as her whole body jumps in surprise.

When he's sure she isn't going to scream he releases her.

Her soft, grey robe is open, revealing the black tank top that is tight on her body, riding up on her waist so he can see smooth skin, and white and black polka dot sleep shorts that barely cover her ass and long legs.

She looks delectable.

"We need to talk," Damon says seriously.

Her eye brows raise and he's sure he's going to get some lecture about breaking into her house.

"What the hell are you doing here? It's three am and I don't particularly remember giving you a key to get in," she stands up and crosses her arms.

"Don't raise your voice. We don't want to wake your mom."

"She's not here. She's away for the night on business in Richmond." Elena's eyes glare now and he wants to almost shrink back, but her big attitude is not going to scare him away now.

"Good," Damon's voice rises above a whisper. "Then I don't have to hold back tonight."

He takes a step forward and receives a sick thrill when she shrinks back slightly against the wall. Elena licks her lips and he can't help but watch the motion.

"Hold back?" She finally asks.

"Yah," he drawls lazily. Placing both hands on either side of her head he cages her against the wall. "You've been fucking with my head."

"Me?" She exclaims.

"Yah," he smirks; loving that he can still get a rile out of her. As long as he can still affect her in anyway then he hasn't lost her. There's still hope. "For two years I have tried getting over you. I have dated, I have slept around, and I've done things that I'm not really proud of...all because of you," he leans down so his lips are near hers.

They are so close that if he tilts his head just a fraction of an inch then they would be kissing.

"And then all of a sudden we start being friends again, and I have to watch some prick ask you out. I don't like it."

Damon catches Elena's eyes as they stray down to his lips.

"You and I both know that I don't like when other guys try to take what's mine."

With each word he speaks his lips gently touch hers in the lightest of touches.

"I'm not yours," she defiantly says. Elena's hands push at his chest. "Now get off me and get the hell out of my house!"

"Honey," he gathers her hands effortlessly. He's thriving on the power he has over her because, he keeps telling himself as long as Elena reacts then she still is his. She still cares enough to act.

He grips her hands in one of his and pins them above her head.

"You have always been mine, but-" His free hand places two fingers over her lips right before she can protest. "I'm letting you know that I'm going to back off. I won't touch you without asking. I won't kiss you without permission. Hell, I won't even prevent you from going out with Whitmore if that's what you really want."

Slowly releasing her body, he takes a step back so both of their heaving chests can take in big gulps of air.

"I promise I'm not going to touch you again until you ask for it-and believe me- you're going to ask for it soon enough 'Lena."

Elena looks stunned as her mouth is slightly parted, her chest is rising in delicious heaves, and her skin looks hot and bothered in all the right places.

"Sweet dreams," he murmurs before leaving her against her bedroom wall. "And lock your door next time. You never know who will break in."


	12. Walk Away

**Two chapters within a day of each other? Why?! Because you guys are amazing and so supportive! This chapter will tell what happened about a week before the accident. And it was hard for me to write and some of you might not agree with how this problem was solved, but it's Damon and Elena and ultimately, freshmen year was the year that Damon fell for Elena...hard...and he just had anger problems and jealousy issues and so what happened is going to set him off! I can't wait for that chapter.**

 **Also, some of you reviewed and pointed out that Klaus was with/into Caroline. I want to clear this up real quick. Yes, Klaus and Caroline were sleeping together the summer before junior year, and the past flashbacks I'm showing are mainly freshmen year. It's quite possible that Klaus could be attracted to Elena before sleeping with Caroline the next summer. I hope that clears up any questions. :)**

* * *

 _"I cross my heart and I hope to die.  
May God strike me down if I tell you lies."  
_The Script

 _Elena pushes herself through the crowd and huffs with annoyance at her drunken classmates._

 _"Don't you look like sunshine," Alaric teases as she sidles up to him._

 _Elena crosses her arms and she's sure she looks like a brat, but she can't shake the nagging feeling she has that she shouldn't be there. However, the stubborn part of her made her come. Just because Damon and Mason never get along doesn't mean that she should miss out on a party that Mason just happens to be throwing. All the rest of their friends are there, but Damon._

 _Two days before when Mason invited both high schools to his party, Damon had the nerve to tell Elena that they weren't going. He didn't even ask her if she wanted to. Instead, he told her like she is some child and he is the parent._

 _"It's Damon's fault that we're fighting," Elena bites out._

 _She tried to have a good time but dancing with Caroline and Bonnie just isn't the same as being with Damon. And when Mason tried to dance with her Elena had enough common sense to leave the dance floor. The last thing she needs is a rumor to leek that she is cheating on Damon with Mason._

 _Alaric sighs. "You and I both know that Damon has a temper and is a very jealous guy."_

 _"But I've never given him reason to be jealous," Elena cuts in._

 _"No, you haven't, but it's just in his nature. I think it's his way of caring for you."_

 _Elena checks her phone as discreetly as she can and sighs when she sees no new texts from Damon. If she was old enough then she would drive to him. And nearly everyone she knows who is old enough has had some form of alcohol that night._

 _"Elena!" Caroline calls happily, "Come dance! It's your favorite song!"_

 _"Can you watch my drink for a few minutes?" Elena asks Alaric. "I'm going to dance for five minutes and then I'm either finding someone to drive me home or I'll walk. I think Damon and I have to talk."_

 _"Good idea," Alaric says with a wink._

 _Elena gets lost in the crowd while Alaric continues his conversation with a couple of guys from the football team and a few of the Michaelsons: Klaus and Rebekah. It isn't long after when Rebekah asks Alaric to dance and he leaves Elena's drink unattended for two short minutes._

* * *

"Hey!"

Elena jumps slightly as the tray she's holding nearly shakes out of her hands.

"What has you on edge?" Stefan asks as he stands next to her in just his swim trunks. It's nearly one hundred degrees with high humidity and the temperature isn't supposed to drop the whole weekend.

She starts to fan herself off with her hand while leaning against the cool counter. They are in her family cabin, her kitchen being designated for food central since it is bigger than Caroline's. All their friends are there too, everyone being assigned a guest room between the two locations.

Well, everyone is there but two: Damon and Alaric.

"Where's your brother?" Elena hopes her voice is casual, but she can't even lie to herself.

She's on edge and nearly everyone can tell. It's been six days since Damon entered her house and told her that he is going to give her space.

"I thought you two weren't talking anymore?" Stefan asks with a chuckle. He can see right through her.

"We aren't," she says too quickly. This conversation sounds awkward and forced, but she's curious as to where the older Salvatore is. Because true to Damon's word, he has left her alone. That doesn't mean that he still isn't trying. He still brings her food at the club on her lunch break, he talks to her and brings up shared memories, and just the other day they had all gone to the beach and he basically flaunted his bare, chiseled six pack right before her eyes.

To say he is getting under her skin is an understatement.

"Well there he is," Stefan nods towards the window.

Elena feels a bead of sweat drip down her neck. She wishes she put her hair up in a messy bun, but it's down around her face in lose waves-just how Damon likes it.

 _Stop it_ , she chides herself. She did not fashion her hair based upon Damon's preferences.

"Oh boy," she mutters quietly as Damon steps out of his car in nothing but black athletic shorts. His chest is bare except for his white V-neck slung over her shoulder like a dish rag. Elena can clearly see his defined muscles, rippling with every step he takes. If it's even possible, she's pretty sure he's gained even more muscle this summer so far.

"Stop eye fucking him," Caroline's voice cuts through Elena's naughty vision of Damon grabbing a cold beer from the cooler outside and talking and laughing with Matt and Tyler about something.

"What?" Elena snaps out of her day dreaming.

"And I'm leaving this conversation," Stefan dismisses before leaving the two girls alone.

"I wasn't-"

"Yes," Caroline forces, "you were. If you're going to ogle him with your eyes then you might as well just jump on the bandwagon of Damon and ride him 'til you both can't stand."

"You know I can't do that," Elena points out before grabbing what she originally came inside to get. "Now help me with this food. Matt and Tyler are manning the grill and then the drinking and bonfire can begin."

"You know," the blonde softly says while following Elena's orders. "I get why you won't jump his bones just yet, but try to remember that he is still the guy who saved you at Mason's party two years ago. Maybe if you try to talk to him-not yell or scream or have him break into your home-but actually _talk_ then you might find that boy who was in love with you years ago."

Elena bites her lip at the mention of Mason's house party at the end of freshmen year.

"There's something I have to tell you," she finally says. "And you're not going to like it. In fact, you might be pretty mad."

"Okay," Caroline declares. "You're not making any sense now."

"It's about Klaus," Elena whispers.

* * *

 _Elena comes back from the dance floor and searches for Alaric. Instead of being with the group he was with earlier, only Klaus is there._

 _"Here ya go," he hands her the mixed drink. "Ric asked me to watch it for you."_

 _Elena takes the cup easily and looks around for Alaric._

 _"He's dancing with Bex." Elena misses the way Klaus' eyes light up the moment she takes a small sip. "So, no body guard tonight?"_

 _It takes a moment for Elena to realize who Klaus is referring too. She eyes him suspiciously before deciding that he's just curious. Klaus and his family are new to town; only planning on coming to Mystic Falls every May to August before they start traveling again. All three kids: Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah being home schooled so they can travel with their parents._

 _He seems harmless enough._

 _"Damon decided to stay home tonight," she says stiffly. "He wasn't feeling well."_

 _"Well," Klaus holds his cup up with a light smirk. "Here's to Damon's recovery."_

 _Hesitating for only a second, Elena finally cheers with Klaus and finishes her drink before getting ready to leave._

 _"Thanks for the drink Klaus, but I should get going."_

 _"Just one dance?" He asks._

 _"That's not a good idea. I'm just going to find my purse and walk home."_

 _"Well then allow me to at least accompany you to the door," he smiles._

 _Elena just wants to leave. She wants to be with Damon and never go to a party without him again. It's boring and lame being there without her boyfriend. And so to leave faster she accepts Klaus' help in getting her purse from the coat closet because it's not worth the fight to deny him._

 _"Fine," she begrudgingly says. "Let's go. It's this way."_

 _Navigating through throngs of people, being stopped twice by girls on the cheerleading squad, she finally gets her purse after twenty minutes. She's feeling woozy, lightheaded, and she feels slightly drunk even though she's only had the one drink._

 _Nearly tripping over her feet-which feel like a ton of bricks, Klaus' arms hold onto her._

 _"Woah, easy there pet," he coos in her ear._

 _She's uncomfortable with her body pressed against his and it takes her a moment to realize they're still moving towards the door. No one is in the entryway and her way to Damon is so close._

 _"I think someone's had too much to drink," he states proudly._

 _"N-no," she mumbles while stumbling over her words. She didn't drink too much. She doesn't know what is happening but her head feels too heavy to hold up anymore and she can't stop herself from leaning all her weight on Klaus._

 _"Let's get you somewhere outside. I hear Mason has a gazebo. We could have some privacy there."_

 _Klaus's words send an alarm in Elena's head. This doesn't feel right. Something is terribly wrong, but she can barely keep her eyes open._

 _"Stop." Her own voice is pathetic to her ears._

 _"Hey man...Elena?"_

 _She thinks she can hear Alaric's voice but her eyes won't open. She's too tired to say anything._

 _"What the hell did you do to her?" The voice barks. Elena decides it has to be Alaric._

 _"It's not my fault she had too much to drink," Klaus defends._

 _"Bull shit. Come here." There's a jostling and nausea settles in Elena's stomach as she's being moved left and right. It feels as if she's on a boat and soon she's cradled against someone's chest. "If you even think about coming near her again I'm going to be the least of your problems. You'll have to worry about Damon."_

* * *

"I always knew Klaus was a douche bag, but seriously? He basically attacked you and you, Ric, and Damon didn't tell me about it when I was sleeping with Klaus?" Caroline asks.

Elena doesn't sense anger in the blonde voice but she's not happy either.

"I'm sorry," Elena apologizes. She knows that if the roles were reversed then she would be furious, but oddly, Caroline doesn't look red in the face. "I was embarrassed for going to that party when I basically left my boyfriend behind that night, and then the accident happened, and then all of a sudden last summer you were sleeping with Klaus without telling anyone until it was too late."

"Well yah," Caroline runs her hand through her hair. Everyone knows that Caroline had been sleeping with Klaus for at least a month before she was caught and outted about her dirty little secret. "Everyone knows that Klaus is kind of sleazy. He's even worse than Mason and Damon combined. I didn't want you guys to judge me last summer since it was only that; a summer fling."

"Why do you think I kept a close eye on you last summer?" Elena bumps her friend's shoulder playfully. "Ric and I were always looking out for you."

"You know," Caroline hums and Elena doesn't like the look in her eye. "You kept this secret from me and I am able to forgive you. This is kind of like you and Damon. He has some secret and it's your choice whether to forgive him for it."

"Care," Elena groans. It's bad enough she's having secret fantasies about the football star. She doesn't need Caroline pressuring her too. "Let's just get back to the party. Let me deal with Damon."

"Okay," the blonde slings her hand over Elena's shoulders. "Let's get our drink on baby."

* * *

 _Damon's eyes widen the closer he gets to the front of Mason's house. Red solo cups are littered around the lawn already, the lights are bright and shining, while the music pulses around him. Luckily, there aren't too many people outside and if they are outside then they're either too drunk or stoned to care about Alaric sitting in the grass with Elena cradled in his lap._

 _Alaric's sister, Ruby, is outside too._

 _"Is she okay?" Damon rushes out. He's on the ground in a second and touching Elena. She's not moving or talking._

 _"She's going to be fine," Ruby says soothingly. She's a senior graduating in two weeks. "She just needs to sleep it off and by tomorrow she'll be good as new."_

 _"Are you sure?" Damon demands. He doesn't let Alaric hold Elena for long because he snatches her out of his best friend's hands and holds Elena to his chest. Her light breathing tickles his neck as he breathes her in. She's unconscious for now and that worries him. "Who did this?" he seethes._

 _"Klaus," Alaric says quietly. He had called Damon the moment he had Elena outside. He had also called his sister and prayed that she didn't have too much to drink already. "I left her alone for two minutes. She was going to leave right after she got done dancing with Care. It was two minutes Damon...I'm sorry."_

 _Damon can see the anguish on Alaric's face and his friend has unshed tears in his eyes. They mimic Damon's as he looks down at the girl in his arms._

 _"You didn't do this, Ric," Damon clears his throat to unclog it from tears. "I did. I should've been here."_

 _"It's neither of your faults," Ruby speaks up. "It's Klaus' and he'll pay. We can call the police-"_

 _"And get everyone here in trouble for underage drinking?" Alaric snaps._

 _"Her dad is a doctor. We could call him?" Ruby tries again._

 _"She'd be grounded for all of summer," Damon mumbles. "Grayson is very protective of her."_

 _Ruby runs her hands through her hair. "Fine. Then take her home and let her sleep it off. But you should still report Klaus."_

 _"Oh no," Damon cuts in again. There's an edge to his voice as he pictures Klaus hurting...touching...Elena in anyway. It makes vile creep up his throat but he pushes it down as he sees red. "No one is going after Klaus but me. I'll make sure that he never touches my girl again."_

* * *

Damon brings the cold bottle of beer to his lips and takes a small sip. He's standing near the fire, right behind a few of his friends as he watches the girl that has captivated his mind and heart the last few weeks of summer. But if Damon's honest with himself, Elena has always held him captive.

"Mate," Enzo whistles lowly as he looks across the fire to see who Damon is staring at. "She's a beauty."

"I know," Damon bites out, but then lightly smacks Enzo upside the head. "Stop looking at her. She's not a piece of meat."

"How can you not look," Enzo encourages. "She's basically sex on legs."

Damon chews his lip before tipping back his beer bottle and finishing his drink. Elena and Caroline have truly out did themselves this summer with the decorations, the tiki lights, and the food and drinks. There are at least thirty people here; some staying in other cabins nearby while he and close friends are staying with Elena and Caroline.

Elena is wearing a strapless top that has an American Flag print on it. The dark blue and stars outline her perky breasts while the red and white stripes are flowing around her midsection. She's wearing light, short blue jean shorts that are torn around her slender thighs and brown cowboy boots that nearly go to her knees.

"I think it's time to bring out the second cooler for the show. It's about to start any minute," Alaric announces with his arm around Rebekah's shoulders. "Last one on the docks has clean up duty tomorrow morning!"

This has kids racing to the multiple boat docks that lead to the lake. Various lawn chairs are set up and blankets are strewn about as couples make their way to see the fireworks.

"You good to get the other cooler? You need any help?" Damon overhears Matt ask Elena.

"Go, I'll be right there."

Damon licks his lips and tosses his beer bottle in the nearby recycling can. After patting Enzo on the shoulder in departure Damon takes his time following Elena. The nearby cooler is on the side of her cabin, away from prying eyes.

He watches for a moment, leaning against her house, as she bends over and takes out a beer for herself. Nearly groaning, he feels his pants tightening as he watches her pop the cap off and take a nice long sip. He would love to be that bottle.

"You're staring again," Elena accuses without turning her head.

"So you've noticed me," Damon counters.

She finally turns to look at him. Popping a hand on her hip she cocks it out to the side with an attitude.

"Don't act like you haven't noticed me either."

"Hey," Damon places two hands in the air in a surrender motion. Elena looks amused and he's glad that he has her smiling. "I'm not denying it. In fact, not a single guy here hasn't noticed you." He walks closer to her and she raises her eye brows in question. "You look beautiful tonight."

"Always a charmer, Damon," she laughs. "Where's your latest conquest for the evening? If I remember correctly there were rumors that you slept with three girls last year on this night?"

Damon's eyes flare as he cages her against her cabin. Something about the way she accuses him has his jaw ticking and his fingers on fire.

"I just want to grab you and shake some sense into you." His mouth lowers, but he's not touching her still. "And then kiss you until you can't think about anyone but me. And then I'd rip your shorts off-which should be illegal to wear since they barely cover your tight little ass—and thrust so hard into you that I'd have you screaming for more. Everyone would hear you yelling and they'd be so jealous of us."

"You said you wouldn't touch me again," she whispers while looking up into his eyes. He notices her lick her bottom lip.

Smirking, he leans just a little closer, making sure that he absolutely isn't touching her. "Now, I'm a man of my word. I said I wouldn't touch you until you asked for it. Clearly," he looks up and down her body, "I'm not touching you...yet."

His body is on fire, a bead of sweat dripping down his back from the night's moist air, but he pushes himself further so their skin is nearly flesh to flesh. He wants to touch her so bad, claim her as his again, but he's starting to think that Elena's stubbornness is going to win. She wants answers and she won't move on without them.

"Tell me something," she murmurs. Surprisingly, her hands reach up and her nails lightly scrape against his jaw before she rests them on the back of his neck. Her leg wraps hooks around one of his and their centers match up perfectly. "What if I touch you? Then would you be breaking your promise to me?"

Damon gulps slightly; searching her eyes for any hint of teasing but finds none. "That would be more than acceptable."

"One more thing," she whispers against his lips.

"Anything." He wants to grab her so badly, pull her to him and claim her as his but he withholds and digs his fingers into the cabin wall so he doesn't break his promise.

"Ric was also absent at the hospital the night I was taken in. I'm thinking he was with you; wherever that was. Tell me I'm wrong." Elena's voice is strong and unwavering.

This makes Damon's skin crawl. He curls himself away from her and turns his back. She is the most stubborn person he has met and although he knows that he owes her an explanation, it's so much easier if he doesn't open that can of worms. For the most part, besides the small fight with Mason at the beginning of summer, he has been able to keep his anger in control. But this is unraveling the past that he's not sure he's ready to face it.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Damon exclaims. The monster that he has worked so hard to suppress wants to rip free; it wants to destroy everything in its path but Damon bottles him down. "We could just move on and be happy again, but you want to keep bringing up the past; living in the past. Why does it matter?"

"Because I trusted you and I need to know if I can trust you again." Elena grips his upper arm and tries to turn him, but he remains facing away from her. He can't look her in the eye. "Why does Alaric get to know and I don't? Why don't you trust me?"

Damon laughs humorlessly. "This isn't about trust." For him, it's not anyways. "This is about me losing my temper and being a man who doesn't deserve you-a _boy_ who always makes the wrong choices."

Damon turns around and runs a shaky hand through his hair. "You know, I thought I could do this. I thought I had put the past behind me and maybe by chance we could make this work, but-"

"But you're giving up because I want to know the truth?" Elena fills in.

"You deserve someone better," Damon concludes. "I can't be the man you need me to be. So go on a date with Whitmore or Elijah or any other guy because they are all better than me right now."

This time, it's not Elena walking away from him.

Two years ago she turned away from him because he pushed her away. Then she walked away from him in the cemetery this summer. But now he's turning his back on her because it's what is best for the both of them.

She deserves someone better.

* * *

 **Our two love birds have to clear up some major issues. Elena still wants the truth and doesn't understand why Alaric can know and not her. Damon doesn't feel right for Elena. He thinks she can do so much better than him, but come on, they're Damon and Elena. They are perfect for each other. Damon has to do something BIG to show Elena that he's all in. Hopefully he can do that soon.**


	13. The Calm Before the Storm

**So a lot of you guys have put together the puzzle pieces with Damon and Elena. All will be explained soon. I think Damon and Elena deserve some happiness together soon. Let me know what you think! Your reviews have been AMAZING so far and so supportive!**

* * *

 _"He could be a stranger, you gave a second glance.  
He could be a trophy, of a one night stand.  
He could have your humor, but I don't understand cause  
He'll never love you like I can, can, can"  
_Sam Smith

 _"Damon?" Elena's eyes squint to adjust to the light streaming through the open window. The sun is so bright; making her head hurt even worse as she tries to shield her eyes with her hand._

 _Damon's back tenses for a moment as he stands facing away from her; looking out his bedroom window._

 _Elena is confused for a moment before she vaguely recalls what happened the night before. She remembers feeling woozy, talking to Klaus and then nothing. Everything is dark and fuzzy in her mind. How did she end up in Damon's bed?_

 _"You're awake," he states evenly. It takes him a moment to turn around but when he does his eyes are surprisingly soft and she watches as he breathes a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"_

 _"Kind of like I'm hung over." Elena pauses though because she doesn't remember drinking more than one cup of alcohol the night before. Her brows pinch together as Damon sits on the bed and takes her hand in his warm one. "But I didn't drink that much? Damon," she hesitates for only a second before asking: "What the hell happened last night? Why am I here?"_

 _His grip on her tightens and his face drops the small smile that he had given her before._

 _"Klaus happened," Damon breathes out._

 _"What does that mean?"_

 _"It means that he slipped something into your drink and was planning on taking you. If Ric hadn't had stopped him then," Damon trails off and runs a hand through his hair. He stands up quickly and is pacing. Elena can see the worry on Damon's face. It's etched into his skin like permanent ink. Anger is radiating from him as she processes what he just said._

 _"God 'Lena, he could have seriously hurt you. He was planning on it too, just because he knows he can't have you. Klaus was going to..." Damon trails off and Elena bites her tongue from stopping Damon and his mini rant. He's panting and breathing hard as if he's about to fall apart. "He was going to..."_

 _Elena knows what Damon is going to say. Klaus was going to rape her._

 _But Damon can't speak the word or else bile will spill out of his mouth. He can't even stomach the idea of someone hurting Elena._

 _"Damon," Elena says softly. She has tears in her eyes as she thinks about what could have happened if Alaric wouldn't have been there. "Please come here."_

 _Tentatively, he sits down on his bed and Elena crawls into his lap. She wraps her arms around him, burrowing her head into his neck and breathing in his soothing scent._

 _"You look so tired baby. Did you sleep at all?" She whispers while rubbing circles on his chest._

 _"I wanted to stay awake just in case you woke up," he admits._

 _She looks up into his eyes and pushes back his messy hair from his forehead. "You're a good man Damon. Thank you for taking care of me, but now it's time for me to take care of you."_

 _"Don't you feel sick?" He counters with a small smile playing on his lips finally._

 _Elena knows that it only takes a moment of hugging him to make him feel slightly better._

 _"I do," she admits. "So that's why I just want to sleep with you. Your parents are still away for the weekend?"_

 _"uh-hmm," he mumbles and she can already see his eyes fluttering closed._

 _"Then just hold me and sleep," she requests._

 _Damon settles down and his arms tighten slightly around her. She rests her head back onto Damon and smiles softly. Butterflies are present in her stomach as she feels Damon's breathing evening out beneath her and it's not too much longer before her eyes can hardly stay open either._

 _This is where she belongs._

 _Tucked into Damon, at his side. Nothing can ruin them. He's the one for her and in that moment Elena feels as if nothing can tear them apart._

 _"I'm glad you're safe 'Lena," Damon mumbles unexpectedly._

 _Elena owes Damon and Alaric her life for saving her._

 _"I love you," she whispers softly, knowing that Damon can't hear her because of sleep._

* * *

"Don't you have a brother for a reason?" Alaric huffs out while sitting himself down on the wet grass and covering his eyes with his hands. "It's too early for this shit," he groans.

"Get up," Damon demands while kicking at Alaric's tennis shoe clad feet. "We barely ran two miles. Football season is right around the corner and you need to stay in shape."

"Yes coach," Alaric says sarcastically, but without moving. "And I repeat: don't you have a brother for a reason? Can't Stefan go on a sunrise run with you instead of me?"

"You know, for a tough football player you sure complain a lot," Damon rolls his eyes while sitting down next to his friend. Taking a quick sip of water he pours a couple of cold drops on Alaric who jumps on the ground instantly.

"Dick!" He yells with a scowl. "What the fuck is your problem? First you wake me up at the ass crack of dawn and drag me out of bed unwillingly due to this massive hangover and then you make me run? Go to hell."

"You are not a morning person, I get it, but I have a problem," Damon reasons slightly.

"If you wanted to have a girl talk we could have done that with a bottle of bourbon and not a run." Damon only glares at Alaric with no amusement present.

How could he find humor in his situation with Elena? It's a disaster with her and he might have made the biggest mistake yet and told her to move on.

How can he watch her move on when he knows that she's moving away from him and onto a different guy? He can't stand to watch her with someone else-someone who is going to make her smile and laugh. Someone who is going to push her buttons and challenge her. Someone who is going to be kissing and touching her.

What was he thinking?

He should have never told her to move on but instead he should have manned up and just told her what he is hiding. He should have taken responsibility for his past mistakes and come clean through all the lies.

But she might never look at him the same and Damon would rather have Elena happy with another guy than look at him with disgust at what he did.

"Let me guess," Alaric breaks him out of his thoughts, "It's about Aaron asking Elena to the Fourth of July carnival today?"

This is news to him as he grinds his teeth together. Alaric is watching him with a careful eye and so he must remain cool and composed as he processes this information. He told Elena to find someone else and she had. He just wasn't expecting it to be within the same night.

Damon shouldn't have a problem with this. He basically pushed her into Whitmore's arms. Damon can't have it his way all the time. He can't expect to hide the truth from her and then ban all guys from her. That isn't fair to Elena and it's not what a good man would do.

Instead, he needs to be a better self-prove himself-not just for Elena but for himself also.

It's time he grew up and stopped running from the past.

"Actually...there is no problem," Damon says distantly.

"Then are we messing with them or something today?" Alaric asks, sounding too happy to ruin Elena's date.

"No. She should have a great day with Whitmore because it's the last time she's going to date another guy." Damon stands up and brushes the dirt off his shorts.

"So we are messing up their plans?" Alaric is confused and if Damon wasn't thinking of Elena and what he has to do then he would laugh at Alaric's expense.

"Of course not. That's not the right thing to do."

Damon throws Alaric a smirk before nearly bouncing towards Caroline's cabin to get ready for the day.

"Since when do you do the right thing?" Alaric calls out.

"Since now!"

* * *

"First time...freshmen year. Broom closet," Tyler says.

There's a bunch of giggling and Matt and Mason both congratulate Tyler on his supposed accomplishment.

"Sophomore year, beach," Jessie, a guy who plays football at North High with Alaric and Damon says with a smile. "Twice," he holds up two fingers.

Elena grimaces with that idea. "Yikes, wasn't there sand everywhere?"

"It's wasn't so bad when we did it," Elijah mumbles to her.

Elena's eyes flash across the table at Damon before she quickly takes a sip of her mixed drink. She doesn't look long enough to see his reaction but others heard and a slight blush coats her cheeks. Everyone at the table currently knows that she had given her virginity to Elijah the summer before.

"You're up Whitmore," Mason sings while wiggling his eye brows.

"This is boring. When is the male species going to stop giving a fuck about who slept with who and at what age? It's like a pissing contest," Rebekah yawns while finishing filing her nails at the table.

"Bex is right. Can we just go to the carnival already? I'm dying for a funnel cake...with fruit of course," Caroline chirps.

"The forecast says rain is supposed to happen later today so if we want time at the carnival we should go soon," Bonnie adds.

"Hold up," Tyler clasps his hand in Caroline's. "Let's give Aaron a chance to share his conquest."

"You're a pig," Bonnie snaps.

Elena smiles at him encouragingly. Aaron is across from her at the table, but that doesn't matter to her because she is going on a date with him later that day. The previous night, after Damon left her against her cabin, Aaron had come to find her because he didn't want her missing the fireworks on the lake. He had asked her to go to the carnival with him and she had said _yes._

There are still no butterflies in her stomach like there should be, but Elena is hoping that they come later. Aaron is a nice guy; a guy that a girl should bring home to their parents. A guy who is sweet, funny, and boyishly cute. He cares about her feelings and asks about her days. He doesn't flaunt himself like a piece of meat and is shy compared to some.

Like now for instance.

"Listen, I don't believe in kissing and telling. What I did with past girlfriends is really not anyone else's business," Aaron finally says.

"That's code for virgin," Jessie jokes. He means for the joke to be harmless. He's Aaron's best friend, but others aren't and Elena can hear Mason and Enzo chuckling.

"Shit man, really?" Alaric asks.

There's a heat in Aaron's cheeks and he stumbles over his words to try to form some sort of response.

"But you dated Katherine Pierce!" Tyler exclaims. "How did you not bang her?"

"Seriously?" Caroline scoffs. She pushes Tyler's arm off her before gathering her nail polish at the table. "I'm so over this conversation. I'm leaving for the fair in five minutes."

"Babe, I'm just sayin' that—"

"Lay off the guy," Damon commands.

Elena looks at the North High King and is surprised when he stands. "So what if he hasn't slept with someone? That's pretty honorable if you ask me, and frankly, I wish I could take back my first time."

Everyone is stunned into silence.

"Brother," Stefan warns with a slight pitch to his tone. He's looking at Damon as if Damon just announced he is a woman.

Damon's intense, blue eyes look across the room and lock on Elena's. She's hanging onto every word he speaks as he moves slowly towards the exit. His body is tense, his arms filling out the dark blue V-neck he's wearing while the soft material is lose around his waist.

"Because if I could take it back then I would do it right the first time. I wouldn't be drunk. I wouldn't have left right after. And I certainly would have had sex with my soul mate-the one person I trust the most, the one I can count on no matter what, and the one person who has always been there for me even when I've been a complete ass."

Elena doesn't think she heard correctly. Soul mate? He is looking at her pointedly as everyone breaks out in laughter and chatter at Damon's declaration. They don't know that he's talking about her because most of the teenagers in the kitchen think that they hate each other still.

After Damon's revelation in the kitchen everyone went on their ways. Some went to the lake to swim, others went with Tyler and Caroline to the carnival and Elena decided to go up to her room until it was her time to leave with Aaron for the fair. She wanted to just take some time to herself before going on the date because she has a lot to think about.

Why would Damon say those things? It's apparent that he meant it and although Elena wishes his words don't affect her, they do and there's no taking them back. She should just stop thinking about him, but she can't.

Huffing in annoyance she stomps out of her room with the intention of finding Damon to give him a piece of her mind when she bumps into Stefan's chest.

"Woah, what's wrong with you? Your mood seems just like the weather outside; dark and cloudy." It's Stefan's way of joking but Elena doesn't laugh. She's on a mission to find Damon.

There's only one thing that can get him out of her head and she intends on doing just that.

"Where's your brother?" She demands.

Stefan blinks in surprise before stuffing his hands in his pockets. It's then Elena notices that Stefan's clothes have water droplets scattered on them.

"He's at Caroline's in his room. We just got back from the store with Ric."

Although the Salvatores used to vacation with Elena's family and Stefan and Damon used to share a room in her cabin, Damon hasn't stayed in the Gilberts cabin since before the accident.

"Great," she starts to make her way down the steps.

"I think he's busy though. Said something about…uh," Stefan scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. "He's tired."

Elena rolls her eyes at Stefan's lame excuse. It's obvious the younger Salvatore is covering something for Damon.

She bypasses a few people who are scattered around her kitchen and living room still, and she makes a beeline for the doorway. No one bothers to stop her because she is determined to get to Damon as quickly as possible.

Only one thing is on her mind and Elena is willing to do anything for answers.

Jogging over to Caroline's cabin, she shields her head with her hands as best as possible. It is dark and dreary out and for a brief second she wonders how the carnival is doing in this light rain storm. Hopefully it won't be a huge thunderstorm, but there's no telling with the sun hidden behind black clouds and the wind blowing the trees. Fat droplets of water fall from the sky and a light sweat coats her body from the humidity.

As she enters Caroline's cabin she doesn't stop to see Alaric and Matt in the kitchen. Instead, she sprints up the stairs two at a time. She should be thinking about her ruined date with Aaron due to the rain, or possible other dates they can go on instead, but Aaron doesn't even register in her mind the moment she spots Damon's bedroom at the end of the hallway.

Walking over with long strides she doesn't knock on the door. Instead, she pushes it open with a loud _thud_ and stands in the doorway.

"Elena?"

Damon steps out of the attached bathroom in nothing but dark washed blue jeans that sit low on his hips.

"We need to talk, and I'm not leaving until I get answers."


	14. Clean

**I hope some people are satisfied with this chapter. It basically pieces together what the flashbacks have shown us. :)**

* * *

 _"Rain came pouring down when I was drowning  
_ _That's when I could finally breathe."_  
Taylor Swift

 _Six days have gone by since the incident with Elena at Mason's party. Although she is sickened at just the thought of Klaus trying to rape her, she's more concerned with Damon and how withdrawn he's been. That's why earlier that morning she was surprised when she heard that he had agreed to come to the cabin with her father, Jeremy, Stefan, and herself to make sure the cabin is all set for the annual family vacation in two weeks._

 _It's a nice surprise though and now that it's evening and everyone is relaxing for a while before driving home once more she can finally have alone time with him to talk._

 _"I figured I'd find you here," she says softly as she climbs through the tree house and spots Damon lying down in the middle of it._

 _The tree house was built back when they were five years old. It's old and small but Elena doesn't mind as she crawls over to him and lays down right beside him._

 _Damon doesn't push her away, but rather he holds her closer while she rests her head on his chest._

 _"You have to tell me what you're thinking about," she whispers. Her hands don't stay still as she slowly rubs soothing circles on his chest. "Because I've been going nuts all week thinking about what I did wrong and it's killing me that you won't even look me in the eyes and I-"_

 _"Hey," he coos gently. His arms tighten and she tries to snuggle closer to him. She didn't even realize that her eyes were tearing up until he softly wipes a stray tear off her soft cheek. "Don't cry, pretty girl." Damon presses a kiss to her forehead before lying back down completely. "It's nothing you need to worry about._ _So_ _you want to know what I've been busy with this last week?" Damon asks._

 _"Please."_

 _"I'm going to get revenge, Elena. I'm going to make Klaus wish he never laid eyes on you," Damon vows with an intensity that Elena has never heard before. She's witnessed plenty of interactions between Mason and Damon during the school year-some breaking into physical fights-but not once has Damon sounded so angry...so murderous._

 _"I'm going to make him beg for forgiveness for even trying to hurt you because what he did is disgusting. He's nothing but filth for ever trying to touch you. And when I'm through with him he'll know to never come near you. He'll learn his place and soon enough he'll be begging his mother to leave Mystic Falls."_

 _"Damon," Elena worries her bottom lip as she sits up slightly to look at her boyfriend. "What exactly are you saying?"_

 _She doesn't like the threatening way he's glaring up at the ceiling. It's as if Damon is picturing hurting Klaus in a hundred different scenarios, but that won't solve anything. Physical violence never does._

 _"I'm saying that you'll never have to worry about Klaus again," he vows._

 _"Damon, as much as I want Klaus to hurt, I don't want you to hurt him. That won't solve anything." More than anything, she knows that hurting Klaus-going after him-can change Damon. There's a fine line between serving justice and getting revenge and Damon is flirting with the line._

 _"I don't just want to hurt him, 'Lena," Damon admits. "I want to bury him."_

 _"Damon! Promise me you won't," she quickly says. "I want to see justice too but violence is never the answer. It changes people-it'll change you. Please don't," she cries desperately._

 _Elena sees the hesitation in Damon's eyes. His irises are stormy and dark as he wets his lips to stall before finally smiling. "Of course I promise."_

 _"Promise you'll stay away from Klaus."_

 _"I promise."_

 _"Thank you." She smoothly slides her legs around Damon's waist and straddles him. Pecking him quickly on the lips she smiles down at him. "You can stop thinking about Klaus and think about me only."_

 _With determination she unbuttons the first three buttons on her plaid long sleeve shirt. There's a hint of her black bra peeking out and Damon goes to touch it. She slaps his hands away as she smiles coyly._

 _"Baby," he whines. Her fingers play with the next button and she can feel him go hard beneath her._

 _"You've been ignoring me all week." She pouts slightly. "It wasn't very nice and so I shouldn't be very nice to you."_

 _Damon smirks and Elena knows that look. His hands are on her in less than five seconds and she's being twisted and turned until she's molded on the ground with Damon hovering over her. Instead of kissing her though, his fingers push her hair off to the side and play with the locket around her neck._

 _"This shows that you're mine, Elena. And I'll wait for you to be ready to give yourself fully to me. As long as it takes," Damon promises._

 _She bites her bottom lip as she shivers at Damon's fingers when they brush against her open chest._

 _"Soon," she whispers. Her feelings for Damon are real and overwhelming at times. And lately giving herself to him has been on her mind. Soon, they'll both be sixteen and there's nothing more she wants to give him than herself. "I..."_

 _"What is it?"_

 _He's still hovering above her with the same smile she fell in love with._

 _"I love you, Damon."_

* * *

Elena closes the door behind herself as she steps into his room. Some clothes are thrown on the floor, a book is on the side table, but other than that it's clean.

"Well don't you have your _I'm on a mission_ face on," Damon smirks while lazily leaning back against the wall.

Thunder rolls through the sky but the two teenagers barely hear it.

"You're giving me answers whether you're ready or not. It's time you tell me the truth once and for all." She crosses her arms and hopes she looks determined and serious because there is no way that Damon is weaseling his way out of this.

When he rolls his eyes this angers her even more. She can't even begin to describe the anger that is running through her body. It's as if every time she thinks about the car accident, Damon, and how he just left her there's such an anger that courses through her she can't think straight. The anger takes over and she can't be held accountable for her actions. This is a feeling she knows Damon is acquainted with himself.

"Really?" He says slowly, "I am?" She watches him through narrowed eyes, carefully calculating his moves as he walks to the end of the bed to grab his discarded blue V-neck he was wearing earlier. It's still splattered with rain drops and it takes a quick second for her to remember Stefan saying they ran to the store before.

He flashes her a small lopsided smile. "Well sorry to disappoint 'Lena, but I have things to do-places to be."

She watches him slide into his shirt, his perfect abs hidden from her view now. It infuriates her that she can be so affected by him still and it makes her madder when a small yearning for him starts in her lower belly. She tries to keep her feelings at bay, but the warmth she feels is ready to explode if she doesn't constantly control it.

She hops in front of him and braces her hands against the door as wide as she can reach. His eyes flare in surprise as he halts in his tracks.

"Oh no you don't!" She exclaims. "Over my dead body will you leave this room without talking to me."

Emotions are running high as he takes a step forward so they're practically a breath away from each other. She breathes him in as she holds her ground and she hopes he can't see the moisture gathering in her eyes. Taking a deep breath she watches wearily as he huffs before angrily sitting down on the bed.

"What you said downstairs-did you mean it?" She asks evenly once she can no longer hear her heart beating in her ears. "About soul mates and how you would take back your first time because you wanted..." A blush lightly coats her cheeks but she presses on, "you wanted to be with me?"

His eyes narrow into slits and she keeps her back against the door so she can't shrink away from his stare.

"Of course I fucking meant it," he snarls. "I still do."

This makes her happy even though more tears spring to her eyes at his confession. This is everything she wants to hear, but it's harder to listen too now that it's actually happening.

"Then talk to me," she rushes forward, cupping both sides of his face with her two hands. She is standing between his legs and looking down at him as if he's still the same boy she fell in love with. "Tell me what happened and-"

"What happened doesn't concern you," he stresses. "Believe me when I say that it's better for you to be in the dark."

"Why?" She grips him harder and if she's hurting him Damon doesn't show it.

"Because you were right," he hisses. Taking both of her hands in his he peels her hands away and stands up. She's bumped back by the motion but this doesn't deter her. "You told me that my actions would change me and I didn't really believe you, but you were right. But believe me when I say that what happened-what I did-doesn't concern you right now and it should stay that way."

Before Elena can stop him he's twisting open the doorknob and leaving. She's frozen in her spot as she watches him walk down the hallway.

"Hey guys," Bonnie greets as she walks up the stairs, quickly hopping out of the way for Damon. Her clothes are drenched from the storm outside. "Rude," she snorts. "Elena?"

But Elena doesn't pay Bonnie attention. She watches as Damon descends down the stairs. Is he pulling away from her again? Yes. Does she still want answers? Of course she does because no matter how bad Damon thinks his answers are she wants to know-she needs to know. Not just for her sake of knowing, but whatever happened is obviously weighing down on Damon and she wants to help.

"No!" She shouts before she takes off after Damon. She catches up to him at the front door and slams her hand against it to stop him from opening it.

"What the hell?" Enzo questions from the kitchen but Damon and Elena don't pay their friends any attention.

"What more do you want from me?" Damon growls lowly for only her ears.

"I want you." Grabbing onto his forearm and neck, she turns him around and lets her fingers curl around his skin. "All of you. The good and the bad. The pretty and the ugly, and if you don't want that with me then say it to my face like a man."

A gasp flies out of her mouth as she's pushed back against the front door with Damon's arms caging her in.

"Why can't you let me be the better man? I've tried drowning myself in alcohol to forget you, I've tried moving on with other girls, I've tried befriending you and telling you to date Whitmore! I'm trying to be a better man for you!" Damon explodes. "Why do you keep pushing for things when all I'm trying to do is be _better_ for you-when I'm trying to protect you from the things that I've done?"

Elena feels the door against her back and she's forced into Damon's chest as the front door slides open unexpectedly.

She looks behind herself as Alaric comes in; he's whistling an unknown tune until he feels all eyes on him for disrupting their dramatic moment.

"Like I said," Damon stares pointedly at her, "I have things to do."

Elena, along with everyone else, watches as Damon walks out into the storm.

"Like hell you do," Elena hisses before running after him.

* * *

Damon doesn't mind the cold rain pouring over him as he walks towards his destination that Alaric just came from. If all goes to plan, then the reason why Alaric came back to the cabin was to tell him that he was done doing what Damon asked.

He can hear Elena scrambling behind him to catch up and smirks slightly because he knew she was going to follow. The damn girl can't keep her nose out of peoples' business because she has a heart and mind that wants to help others. He is not excluded from her list of people she cares about and so he continues walking; knowing that Elena is not done with him.

"Damon!" She yells. "Where the hell are you going?"

This had been his plan all along. He wanted her to come outside-to their place in the woods. Damon knows that it's his time to explain to her what happened. He needs to put her mind at ease, however, he was not expecting her to barge into his room at Caroline's. He didn't want a confrontation with her, but that's what it escalated too. Between them, anger and sparks fly and it only takes a small time for their fighting to turn into an explosion where tension runs high and all their emotions turn to passion.

But that doesn't make his words any less true. He is trying to be a better man by keeping her in the dark. He doesn't want his past to weight her down; to drown her in darkness. But what he wants doesn't matter anymore.

Elena wants answers and he is going to give them to her. He will give her the whole damn world if that's what she wants.

Hearing her behind him has his blood running hot.

God, he wants her. Even now as she stalks through the mud with him.

Damon also wasn't planning on it raining but he wasn't going to stop his plan. She deserves the truth, and although it's a gruesome truth, he wants to make it at least a little bit romantic because that night he's going to tell her everything she's ever wanted to hear.

It only takes a few more minutes before the lights he and Alaric set up come into view. He hears Elena suck in a breath as he stops walking to look around them. The tree their tree house is set up in has grown exponentially, and the branches filled with green leaves cover them somewhat from the rain pelting down.

"You really are the most stubborn girl I have ever met," he explains.

"Damon...it's beautiful. When?"

Damon smiles proudly as the nerves he was feeling before settle in the pit of his stomach. Although this is him showing her just how invested he is with their relationship, he knows that it's now or never to come clean about his past.

Tiki lights hang from the tree branches and twinkling lights outline the tree house. He had come out here with Alaric once they had gotten back from the store, and had left Alaric to finish the set up as he went back to the house to shower and try to dry his clothes before bringing Elena out here.

However, Elena had beat him to it and found him instead.

"Earlier today," he admits as he watches her walk around the huge trunk of the tree, lightly running her fingers over the rough bark as she looks up at the dark sky and bright lights.

"I figured this was a good spot to tell you that you were right." He has to clear his throat to get through the powerful emotions running through him. This is it. The truth is finally happening. "Violence doesn't solve anything-instead, it changes people, and it's not always for the better."

"I am ashamed of what I did and so I hid it from you. I lashed out and wasn't there for you because I knew that I wasn't the person you should be with. You were hurt and I couldn't possibly take care of you if I was capable of nearly killing a boy. I just never understood why you would want me?"

She pauses her walking while keeping the ten feet in between them. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he looks down at the ground because he doesn't think he can stay standing if he sees hate and disgust reflected in Elena's eyes.

"What happened, Damon?"

"I lost it, Elena," he admits. "A week after Klaus drugged you I saw him at Mystic Falls Park. There was no one else around and at first I was just going to let it be. I made a promise to you to stay away, and then I broke it."

He chuckles without humor. "You know, that is the only promise I have ever broken in my life? I looked you dead in the eye and said that _I promise_ and I broke it without thinking twice. How can a good person do that?"

He shrugs his shoulders to answer his own question. "It's easy: I just wasn't a good person. I had this anger in me and I acted without thinking. It was like I was blind with rage and I just started beating him."

Damon runs a hand through his hair and lowers his eyes again. Taking a deep breath he welcomes the cool rain on his heated skin. "God, there was so much blood and soon he wasn't fighting back. That didn't stop me though."

"Damon," she says carefully. "Look at me...please?"

He's afraid to see her reaction. Damon knows that he can't live with himself if she sees him as the monster he really is.

But he owes her. He needs to own up to his actions and show her that he is there for her. He's not running from her anymore.

"He's still alive though. Something had to have made you stop. What was it?" She presses.

"Isn't it obvious?" Damon questions. Walking forward, his body pins her against the tree as he gently pushes her wet hair off of her smooth cheek. "You," he whispers. "My love for you stopped me. Klaus wasn't moving, he was barely breathing, and so I called Ric."

"And Klaus never told anyone?" Elena breathes in.

Shaking his head, "No. I told him that if he ever told anyone then I would make sure that everyone knew about what he tried to do to you. His reputation would be ruined, the police would get involved, and Klaus was full of too much pride to let anyone see what I did to him."

Damon squeezes his eyes shut as his forehead leans against hers. "I became what everyone said I was: a monster. I was going to bring you down with me. I was never good enough for you. In fact, I am probably the worst person for you."

Opening his eyes he looks down at Elena.

"But I love you, Elena. I have never stopped loving you, and I will spend every day proving to you that I am a better man-that I can do right by you because you deserve so much more."

"I am so mad, Damon," she murmurs.

It's like nails on a chalk board and he can't stomach the idea of Elena turning him away this time.

He needs her acceptance.

He needs her.

Her hands loop around his neck to bring him closer.

"I am so mad that you ever thought that you weren't good enough for me. You should have told me right away and I would have accepted you—I would have helped you- because that's how much control you have over me. That's how much I love you."

His eye brows pinch together in confusion as he cocks his head.

"I am so angry that we wasted two years fighting when we could have had each other. We lost time together because you didn't speak to me, you hurt me and I'm sure I hurt you too, and now trust has to be built again and that takes time."

"I'll do anything," he vows.

"Kiss me," she whispers with anticipation in her big, brown eyes.

As the raindrops pelt through the tree leaves, sprinkling them with a vengeance, Damon and Elena become numb to the world around them. The moment his mouth collides with hers is the moment they become lost in each other.

Nothing else matters because they have one another.

And nothing-or anyone-will stand in their way again.


	15. Stay With Me

**Author's Note-Okay, don't kill me! I know I've been gone for two weeks but I've been super busy. Two weddings, a funeral, and work...I know, excuses! Thank you for everyone who reviewed and for those of you who haven't seen, I started a new story which I will be fully dedicated to once this story wraps up. Thanks! Review and let me know if I did them justice.**

* * *

" _Stay with me, baby stay with me,  
_ _Tonight don't leave me alone.  
_ _Walk with me, come and walk with me,  
_ _To the edge of all we've ever known."_

Parachute

His hands cup her face and she shuts her eyes at the feeling of his calloused skin rubbing against her smooth cheeks. Damon tangles his fingers in her hair, pushing her wet tendrils back and when he grips her harder she opens her eyes to look up at him. Water droplets hang from his midnight black strands and when she looks into his eyes her mouth parts breathlessly as they consume her in their navy blue color.

Elena watches in astonishment as Damon closes his eyes and rests his forehead against her. His nose brushes against her cool cheek as he nuzzles against her as if he's savoring every moment.

"I have thought about you every day since freshmen year," he whispers. "God I want you so much," he groans.

Elena doesn't think. She doesn't let the hate she feels for the last two years consume her. Instead, she pushes her disappointment that time slipped away from them out of her mind and she only lets her love for Damon in.

"Then take me," she whispers.

Damon's hands grab her ass, squeezing before she jumps up and wraps her legs around his lean waist. She's turned and her back hits a tree trunk.

Water is raining down on them as their mouths collide in a sinful dance. Everywhere he touches is on fire and nothing is surviving in its wake. Damon is slowly burning her alive and Elena won't have it any other way.

His teeth pull her bottom lip in between his before he nips lightly, sending shockwaves through her body. Elena drops her feet to the ground so her hands can feel his whole back under his soaked shirt.

Never has she felt this desperate need to be with someone and yet she's the one running her hands over his body, through his hair, over his arms, down his sides before she reaches around and pulls him closer. Because he can never be too close.

"Oh God," she moans as his lips depart her mouth and skim down her neck. Tipping her head back, Elena's fingers grab onto the back belt loop on his pants and her nails skim across bare skin.

Never did she feel this complete with Elijah. Her first time was messy, awkward, and neither knew what exactly they were doing, but with Damon all their movements are precise and full of meaning.

His body fits perfectly against hers and when he rips her shirt over her head there is no uncertainty in her eyes. Instead, Elena breathes heavily, making her chest move up and down. She can see the way his eyes stray to her black lace bra covering her breasts and her cheeks heat in anticipation as his tongue darts out to wet his lips.

"You're beautiful," he murmurs as he looks into her eyes. She doesn't know if he's asking permission-both knowing that's not Damon's style-but with Elena and Damon anything is possible.

Mouths meet in collision while hands and fingers feel wet, sweaty skin. The humidity is still around them, making sweat roll down their backs and stick to their bodies.

Dragging Damon's shirt off Elena arches her back as his lips push the cups of her bra down. His teeth bite her skin and she holds his head to her body.

With the rain pelting from the sky it is hard to say if their bodies are slick with sweat or from rain water.

Elena doesn't know when it happened but she's no longer wearing her sandals and her feet sink down into what used to be dirt. Now, from the rain, her toes slide into the mud, trying to stay standing.

His hands blindly reach for her bra clasp and Damon hisses in pain.

"What?" She immediately asks while worrying her bottom, swollen lip.

"This isn't right," he pants as he withdraws his hand and she sees red, angry scratches covering his knuckles. "Our first time...outside...in the fucking rain and mud. You deserve better. You don't deserve to have your back marred by this stupid tree bark either."

"Sh," she shushes quietly. Gingerly, she holds his injured hand between her two and slowly brings it to her mouth.

Her chocolate eyes stay connected with his midnight orbs as her mouth carefully plants small kisses to each of his fingers.

"We've already wasted years. I don't want to wait any longer."

"God," he groans while dropping his forehead to the crook in her neck. "Do you know what you do to me when you speak like that?" His mouth is against her skin, lightly wetting it with kisses. "I'm trying to be the better man here when all I want to do is fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk tomorrow without remembering what I did to you."

A rush of heat flows through her and she has to rub her thighs together to create any friction that he started between her waiting legs.

"Then do it," Elena challenges.

Before she can stop herself, this wild need that has always been in her since freshmen year takes over. Her fingers grip his wet hair and yanks his head up so they're eye level with each other. Her eyes are blazing with fire as she faces him with what she hopes to be a fierce face.

"Don't hold back," she demands in a breathy whisper.

It only takes a second for his eyes to turn darker; nearly black as his hands grip her waist and she's being twisted so her back is molded against his chest.

"Put your hands on the tree and hold on tight," Damon instructs darkly.

His hands tense on Elena as she does what he says. Her body is bent with her chest perpendicular to the ground and she feels Damon's knee in between her legs. He adjusts her body so her legs are parted and she takes a calming breath as his finger tips trail over her naked back to the hem of her skirt.

His body is hunched over hers with his mouth trailing down her spine until it too reaches the material of her red skirt.

"You're so beautiful...so perfect..." his fingers slide up her thighs, to her parted legs, and gently scrape over her damp panties. "...so mine..."

Elena's eyes squeeze shut as Damon's fingers push aside her panties and play a musical tune on her sensitive skin. He sinks onto his knees while bunching her skirt up in one hand.

"You know what I want to hear," he speaks into her skin, planting kisses along the inside of her thighs.

Briefly, for a split second, Elena doesn't know how her mind can recall Caroline's party when she danced with Damon, but it does and she knows exactly what he wants to hear. He needs her to say it for reassurance because even though Damon is the King of North High, he's still just a guy in love with her and needs to know that she feels the same way.

Her panties are ripped off her body in a pile of flimsy lace.

"Damon!" She exclaims. Her knuckles turn white while holding onto the tree and her legs turn into jell the moment his tongue swipes across her folds.

"Say it. Just once. That's all I need to hear."

"It's only ever been you, Damon," she cries out-desperate for his mouth to be back on her again. "You are the only one who's ever owned my heart and my body-together. It's only been you."

His tongue is bringing her to her knees and she's sure if Damon wasn't kneeling before her then she would sink into the mud and not be able to get up. With a quick swipe over her clit Elena's toes curl and she holds back her moan in fear of someone hearing them.

"Don't hold back," Damon commands and Elena's eyes pop open as she feels him leave the ground and stand behind her.

Turning her head she sees him grab a foil packet from the back pocket of the jeans he is discarding. Before he can slip it on she calls out to him.

"Don't. We don't need it." Her cheeks are flushed with heat but he understands her when he slowly drops the foil package on the ground. She's on birth control and she wants all of him. "I want to feel all of you-everywhere."

"You keep talking like that and I won't last long," he chides lightly as his length glides along her opening. His hands claim her hips and Elena braces herself against the tree trunk once more.

Feeling just the tip of him has her clenching her fingers and as he slides all the way inside of her she lets out a breath she didn't know she had been holding.

"So perfect," Damon breathes out as he settles in her.

It's been a while for Elena and her walls her screaming at the intrusion. Damon's big and he's completely stretching her to accommodate his length.

"So tight...so mine," he repeats while his chest molds to her back for a moment and he presses an urgent kiss to the back of her neck.

Damon thrusts slow and deliberate, giving her time to adjust but he has to cause some friction because he's afraid he's going to lose it before they even begin.

When Elena is accommodated to his size her hips match his movement. She can feel everything his body is doing to her and it's turning her into a quivering mess begging for more. She wants to grip him tighter to her but the position they're in she can't reach. The only thing she can do is hold onto the tree trunk and that's what she does.

"Damon," she moans out through gritted teeth. "I need to feel you everywhere...I need..."

"Sh," he quiets her.

"I need..."

"I know," he pants as he withdraws from within her tight cavern. His hands turn her before she can even protest him leaving her body and he's lowering them both to the muddy floor.

They aren't making love in the mud and the rainstorm. They are moving hard and fast to be together. Nothing is soft and gentle as Damon glides into her open legs and she wraps her feet around his hips to bring him closer.

Elena reaches up and pulls him down on her, their mouths meeting in a chaste kiss as his hips thrust with a quick pace. A burning is settling in her lower stomach and she needs to feel all of him.

His forehead rests against hers and she knows that Damon is coming undone as his eyes glaze over in heat that she's also experiencing throughout her whole body.

"Say it again," he demands through harsh breathing.

Her hands rake down his sweaty back and all she can focus on are his stormy eyes looking down upon her.

"I'm yours...only yours."

Her hips meet his thrust for thrust and Damon's teeth clench as he looks down upon their meeting bodies before pressing another quick kiss to her parted mouth.

Elena holds her breath as she feels her orgasm shake her body like an earthquake. Damon feels her walls tightening too because he speeds up and thrusts harder before his eyes close and his hands bury themselves in the mud on either side of her head. He lets his orgasm rush over him as he tries his hardest to not drop from exhaustion on top of Elena.

But he can't help but drop some of his weight as his arms give out and their sticky bodies mold together through sweat, rain, and mud.

Elena is truly happy as she feels Damon shivering slightly from his orgasm still. There's nothing better in the world than knowing that Damon is sweaty, spent, and shivering from what they just did together. She presses a kiss to the side of his head and this seems to wake Damon.

"Sorry," he mumbles as he switches their position so he's lying on his back and Elena is lying on top of him. "There, perfect."

Elena rests her chin on his chest and when she sees his hair sticking up in all places with a leaf or two wound through his inky hair she doesn't even want to know what she looks like.

Slowly, the raindrops stop pouring on them and the sun starts to peak out from behind the dark clouds.

"If I'm yours then are you mine?" She asks.

Both sides of his mouth lift and he smiles softly at her. Gently, he pushes her hair behind her ear and caresses her face.

"I've always been yours. And I'll keep being yours as long as you want me."

"Well as long as you keep me happy then I guess you can stick around." Elena laughs while feeling Damon's chuckle start low in his chest. They both know that he just made her extremely happy.

"If you give me five minutes then I can make you happy all over again," he promises as he presses kiss after kiss to her lips. "And again…and again…and again."

* * *

Damon leans up on his forearms to watch Elena swimming freely in the creek that runs throughout the woods. She's free and naked and it's the best sight he's ever seen in his life.

Bringing one hand up to shield his eyes from the burning sun he smirks as he sees Elena washing the mud from her body.

They had gone another round in the woods and by the time they were done they were both covered head to toe in mud and sweat. Leaves clung to their bodies and twigs were pressed against areas that they shouldn't be touching.

It had been his idea to go to the creek that they used to swim at and he knew no one in their class would be there since they were all either back at the cabins or at the fair.

After washing himself he pulled out of the water to lay on the dock to sun dry. Elena had chosen to stay in the water and she was putting a show on for just his eyes.

How did he get so lucky?

"Damon," she sings from her spot. A smile is playing on her face as she's in water up to her neck.

"No way," he denies with a laugh as she pouts her perfect, swollen lips. "I'm all dry and the water is cold."

"Baby," she teases before swimming closer. He goes back to lying down and closing his eyes as his bare body soaks up the sun.

He smirks the moment he feels water droplets fall onto his chest and lower stomach and within a second Elena is in his arms with her very wet head on his chest.

"You know, in two weeks our schools are hosting their annual carnival to support the two varsity teams. You gonna go?" Damon asks casually.

"Well that depends," Elena answers smugly.

"On what?"

"On you."

Elena shifts in his arms so her head is hovering right above his. Her lips are pursed, her eyes fierce and determined as she stares him down.

His hands trail down her sides and he smiles as he starts to tickle her. She's squirming her way off of him and in no time he has her pinned down.

"Elena," he says seriously. This is big for him because he doesn't like PDA or getting attached to people.

In the last two years he may have danced with girls in public. He may have a reputation but not once has he slowed dance with a girl. Not once has he held girls' hands in public. Elena has been the only one for him.

"Will you go to the carnival with me?"

It's a small question but when they arrive together it will pack a punch considering their history together.

"Yes!"

It's a one word answer but both teenagers have butterflies in their stomachs. This is only the beginning for them and they can't wait to see where their relationship will take them.

* * *

 **Ahh, teenagers in love. What could be better than Damon and Elena in love?**


	16. Jealous

**Author's Note-So you guys all gave great reviews and I just love this story so much that I thought I would update a nice filler chapter to show a couple of cute, fun scenes between Damon and Elena. Don't worry, the drama is not over yet...that's for me to know and for you guys to find out later. Review and let me know what you think so far.**

* * *

" _'Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_  
 _And everybody wants a taste_  
 _That's why (that's why)_  
 _I still get jealous."  
_ Nick Jonas

"Now you have all the emergency contact information taped to the fridge," Miranda says through thick tears clogged in her throat and apparent in her eyes. "And I'll always have my phone on me. I expect to hear from you at least once every day."

Elena rolls her eyes playfully as her mom clutches her upper forearms in a tight, loving grip. A soft smile settles on her face as she nods along once it becomes clear that Miranda is not in a joking mood.

She knows it's hard for her mother to leave for two weeks-possibly longer-but she will be back soon enough.

"I know, mom," Elena says softly. "I'm fine. I'm going to be fine. I'm old enough where I don't need you as a babysitter or a driver. I can take care of myself."

Miranda frowns slightly as if she's just realizing that Elena is right. Her little girl is grown up and can take care of herself.

She pushes Elena's hair behind her ear before hugging her in a tight squeeze again.

"Mom," Elena chokes out jokingly. "Can't...breathe..."

"When I get settled into the hotel I want to video chat. And are you sure you have enough money in your account for groceries?"

Elena steps back from her mom and flares her eyes for emphasis. "You just transferred me money this morning-I haven't even had time to waste it on booze and drugs yet."

"Not funny Elena Marie Gilbert," Miranda scolds.

Elena smirks lightly as Lily Salvatore rushes forward and wraps Miranda in a hug. "Don't worry honey. If anything happens-which it won't-Giuseppe and I will be here. Don't worry."

While Giuseppe and Lily say their goodbyes as if Miranda isn't coming back, Elena chances a look past her mother and sees Damon's dark blue eyes narrowed on her. One side of his mouth is curved up as he leans against her now fixed car with his arms crossed. Stefan doesn't even register in her mind as he stands next to Damon.

It's been a week since the cabin trip and so far they've only had sex once more before Elena realized that even though she's on birth control becoming pregnant is not the only thing she has to worry about. She knows of Damon's reputation-some rumors and others truths. He's been with other girls and she needs to be absolute certain that he's clean.

And so he has been trying all week to distract her with sex, but she was adamant that he needed to get a physical done for any STDs that might be lurking in his body.

"Elena," Miranda calls once more.

This is the first time Miranda has left for business for her job since Grayson and Jeremy died. Elena and her mother have always seen each other every day and so this is a big deal for them.

Elena feels heat travel to her cheeks as Damon's eyes roam over her bare legs that aren't covered by her blue sundress and brown belt around the waist.

His eyes are blatantly checking her out and when he darts his tongue out to wet his bottom lip she actually feels her knees quiver with the action he's implying. That boy sure knows what he is doing with his twisted, talented tongue and he unnerves her every time he eats her.

When Elena stands in front of her mother and Damon's parents she hopes they don't notice her blush, and if they do then hopefully they think it's from the bright sun.

"I don't want you eating out every night. And no junk food. I know you don't like cooking-"

"It's not that I don't like it. I just _can't_ cook," Elena interjects.

"Well, at least try for me. I don't want to come back and see you whittled down to nothing because I left you to starve."

"That will never happen, Miranda," Giuseppe puts his arm around Elena's shoulders. "We're right next door and if we notice too many food deliveries Lily and I'll start sending the boys down with meals."

After a few more minutes the parents all leave. Lily and Giuseppe are both taking her mom to the airport for her flight to California.

"Well that wasn't awkward or embarrassing," Elena mumbles as she joins Damon and Stefan again. She looks longer at Damon who still has his flirty eyes on.

"So the carnival is next weekend. I wouldn't suppose you two are going?" Stefan asks slyly as he glances between Elena and Damon.

She fiddles with the ends of her hair before pushing strands behind her ear to keep her hands busy. Her eyes glance away from Damon's and towards the ground to her painted toe nails.

"Um-"

"Uh-"

Elena and Damon both chuckle awkwardly as she glances at her best friend who looks too smug for his own good.

They also haven't told their friends about their hookup in the woods or their naked swim together. It isn't that Elena is ashamed of Damon. It's that she just wants peace and quiet for just a minute with him. The moment their friends find out, then their schools will know, and things will become complicated. People will ask questions, make comments, and Elena knows that at least fifty percent of the female population will hate her.

This is their time, and as long as they keep it a secret for just a while longer, then they can focus on just enjoying one another. It's like a time out-away from prying eyes.

"Of course," Elena finally says with a fake smile. "We're both going to support our schools."

"Why?" Damon's eyes narrow on his brother.

"Just wondering," Stefan puts two hands in the air in a surrender motion. He slowly backs away with a smirk that tells Elena that her best friend knows something is up. "I have to get to work. Enjoy your afternoon off."

It only takes three seconds of Stefan being gone before Damon turns on her and she gulps as she notices his eyes are nearly black. He stalks forward as if she's his prey and she can't help but notice the way his black V-neck clings to his body. His jeans hang low on his narrow, powerful hips and she can't stop herself from thinking about the way he uses his hips to thrust into her.

"Stefan knows something," Elena stumbles slightly over her words as Damon cages her against the siding of her house. All of a sudden her chest is heaving for breath and she's finding it hard to concentrate on anything other than Damon.

He cocks his head to the side and his messy bed hair falls naturally over his eyes. "Then it's up to you to figure out what he knows."

Damon's only a breath away and Elena can't stop herself from reaching up and pulling him down to her lips. His scent fills her nostrils as his mouth claims her. Although she initiated the kiss that was the only second she had control.

His hands push her dress up slightly and Elena squirms to cause any sort of friction to relieve the ache that has settled between her legs.

"When the cats away the mice will play," Damon nips at her neck. "Not that I minded sneaking around this week. It was hot."

Damon tugs gently at her earlobe with his teeth and Elena nearly crumbles to the floor.

He can bring her to her knees but she knows that she can affect him just as much. With determined hands she slips them under his shirt and lightly scrapes her nails down his snail trail to the hem of his jeans.

His muscles ripple beneath her touch and his hips press into her harder.

"I think this has been the best decision we've made," he hums. "Because the moment everyone finds out about us is the moment I won't get to keep you all for myself. Too many questions will be asked and I'm sure there are people who will love to put in their two cents about our relationship."

Damon is referencing Mason and various girls who are attracted to himself.

"Hey," Elena coos while cupping his cheek. Just as long as their bodies are touching is enough for them. One touch and they're instantly calmed. "Who cares what others think? It's just you and me. However," she smiles coyly as Damon's hand trails down her side and squeezes her ass. "There are perks to telling our friends."

"I can kiss you whenever I want," Damon murmurs against her mouth and Elena swears her heart skips a beat at just the mention of his lips on her.

"I can hold your hand anytime I want." Elena slips her right hand into the back pocket of his jeans and smiles up at him when instead of touching denim she finds a folded piece of paper there. "What is this?"

When she goes to unfold it Damon explains.

"I was waiting to give this to you tonight at dinner."

"But we don't have plans for dinner."

Her eyes are scanning over it but all she can really read is Damon's name, some doctor, the Mystic Falls Hospital logo and the grin on her face won't go away when she sees the word _negative_.

"I was going to cook for you because let's face it: you suck in the kitchen and your mom is right, you're going to order too much take out because if you try to cook you'll probably start your house on fire." Damon plucks the paper out of her hands and stuffs it into his back pocket again. "And now that you know that I'm clean you can stop resisting me and just give in."

Elena wraps her arms around his neck and jumps into his arms. Her legs wrap around his securely and she can already feel just how hard Damon is for her.

"Upstairs, now," she directs in his ear.

* * *

"Seriously?" Caroline Forbes exclaims with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed at the three boys in front of her. "That's the plan you three came up with while I've been busy at the club serving overly priced food and an obscene amount of alcohol?"

"I was working today too, Barbie," Damon retorts lazily from his spot on the deck patio. He purposefully placed his chair so he can look houses over at the Gilbert's backyard.

"I think it's a good plan," Matt mumbles while scratching the back of his neck awkwardly under Caroline's narrowed eyes.

Matt, Stefan, Caroline, and Damon are gathered on the Salvatores back deck surrounding the pool as they strategize their prank for South High. It's an annual prank that happens every year right before the fundraising carnival. It's harmless and fun as some of the top seniors prank the rival school.

Caroline bickers back and forth with Stefan and Matt as Damon stares straight ahead. It's only two nights before the carnival and to say he is nervous is an understatement. He's not regretting asking Elena to go with him, but maybe they should have picked a less public place to announce their relationship. That way, the two can get used to their relationship being out in the open and then they could have gone to the carnival without prying eyes watching their every move.

But he asked and she gave her answer. They are going together and he couldn't be happier.

They are back together again and everything seems perfect.

"Damon…are you even listening to me?" Caroline demands.

"What? Yah, yah. I think everyone can hear you in a five mile radius with how loud your voice gets. I don't know how Ty can handle it."

Caroline crosses her arms as she stalks up to Damon to jab a pointed, manicured finger into his chest…hard. "This is not funny. We only have the stupid idea of toilet papering the cheerleaders and starting football players houses. It's boring and unoriginal."

Laughter from a few yards over can be heard and Damon instantly knows who that voice belongs too. Taking his sunglasses off he sees Alaric throw Elena over his shoulder as she's laughing for him to put her down. Tyler, Mason, and Bonnie also get out of Elena's SUV. She must have brought everyone home from work that evening.

"Oh great," Caroline mutters. "Looks like South High is planning something for us tonight too."

The small pranks between the schools are harmless and fun, but some take it more seriously than others.

"Well if you don't like our idea Care, then you're free to come up with some yourself," Stefan offers.

Damon's eyes narrow as he watches Alaric put Elena down and enter her house. Bonnie and Tyler do the same, but Mason stops Elena from entering through the sliding glass door.

He can see Mason's mouth moving and he leans forward as if that will help him hear when she's yards away.

Elena at first crosses her arms, but Damon can't see her facial expression. He can't tell what's going on but he doesn't like it.

But soon the moment is over as he watches Elena enter her house, but the moment Mason touches Elena's lower back to guide her inside has Damon clenching the arm rest. His body is rigid and he's ready to make his way over to Elena's house and show Mason that he has no right to be near her like that.

"Earth to Damon," Matt waves his hand in front of his face and when Damon snaps out of it he stands up and grins.

"Great, so we have our idea and we'll start first thing tonight. Now, who's up for crashing South High's little pow wow?"

"What?" Caroline exclaims once more before finally realizing that she has lost this battle and that they were going to go along with Stefan's and Matt's idea. "Fine. Maybe we'll overhear their plans and can steal them."

"Excellent. Let's go." Damon doesn't bother checking to see if his friends have followed as he pulls out his phone and sends a quick text to Elena.

 _Go to your room right now…alone._

"So I'll text the others and assign people into groups and houses," Caroline says while typing away on her phone already.

Damon doesn't receive a response from Elena but the moment Stefan lets himself into her house Damon bypasses their friends and heads straight for the stairs. He takes them two at a time and makes his way to Elena's room.

Pushing open the door he sees her looking out her window and before she can turn around fully, he presses her against the wall and kisses her.

"I'm not waiting to tell our friends tomorrow. I want to tell them now. Tonight," he breathes against her.

She looks up at him, her mouth open slightly in silent questions, and he's relieved the moment he sees both sides of her mouth go up into a smile.

"Okay," she agrees. "We'll tell them tonight."

* * *

 **So I'm proud of Damon for not going after Mason the moment he saw him touch his girlfriend in what seems to be a friendly...kind of friendly...way. The old Damon, I feel like, might have started words or a physical fight with him, but instead this Damon wants to tell everyone so he show off his new girlfriend and just be with her. No longer is he going to let others dictate how he should feel. Review please :)**


	17. My Girl

**Author's Note-So you guys are incredible. I never would have thought that so many people would enjoy this story, let alone actually take time to review and let me know their thoughts! I have officially averaged 12 reviews each chapter, and although it's not all about reviews, I love when readers take time to show appreciation for stories-even if it's constructive criticism.**

 **And so, I have the next chapter nearly done. Look for it by Sunday evening (United States time). And by next week I'll have a new update for my new story: Bless the Broken Road.**

* * *

"No Elena. It's our time. It's never been right before but it is right now."  
Damon Salvatore

 _Damon adjusts his tie for what feels like the hundredth time that night. He anxiously stands on the Gilberts' front porch, nearly ready to ring the doorbell. He is practically their second son, along with Stefan, and so it feels odd that he is ringing the doorbell as opposed to just walking in like usual._

 _However, ever since starting to date Elena he had rang the doorbell-no matter how many times Miranda tells him to just enter._

 _But it's the principle of showing Grayson that he respects Elena and her family._

 _It's kind of funny too. It's as if ringing the doorbell compensates all of the dirty thoughts he has about their daughter, all of the late night make out sessions, and all of the early morning wood he experiences. It doesn't make too much sense to others, but to Damon it does._

 _Damon glances down at his suit one last time before going to push the little black button, but Grayson opens the door before he can._

 _Nearly bulking, his eyes wide at the surprise, Damon forces a smile as Grayson looks down upon him._

 _"I was wondering when you'd finally ring the doorbell. You've been on my porch for nearly five minutes."_

 _Grayson turns his back on Damon and walks into the Gilbert kitchen where he was obviously in the middle of making a sandwich. Condiments are strewn about on the counter while bread is stacked on a plate._

 _Damon looks towards the stairs where Elena is before glancing at Grayson who throws him a stern look over his shoulder._

 _Ever since Damon and Elena announced that they began dating the two mothers have been over the moon, Giuseppe gave Damon two embarrassing talks about not getting Elena pregnant, and Grayson has gone from a loving father to a man who has to protect his daughter._

 _Damon takes a small breath before biting the bullet and following Grayson into the kitchen._

 _"Damon," Grayson sighs while Damon watches him continue to slice tomatoes. The knife he's holding is long and sharp, and all of a sudden the tie that is looped around Damon's neck feels too tight. "You're like a son to me," he starts to say._

 _"I've watched you grow into a fine young man." Everything Grayson has said so far is putting Damon at ease. Besides his own father, Grayson is the only other man that Damon looks up too. He's a hard working doctor who loves his family. "But Elena is my only little girl."_

 _If only Grayson knew what his little girl does when they're unsupervised at his place. Grayson wouldn't be calling Elena a little girl then._

 _Although they haven't had sex, Elena isn't ready for that yet, but they've explored and experimented with one another. Just thinking of Elena and how her breasts fit perfectly in the palms of his hands has his cheeks burning red in front of her father._

 _When Grayson looks at Damon, putting the knife down on the counter, he has a look of a father whose only concern is Elena and keeping her as safe as possible._

 _"And I will do anything to protect her. So as long as she's head over heels for you, and she's happy, then I'm happy." Grayson assembles his sandwich together before walking around the kitchen island to Damon. "Also, I have eyes and ears everywhere in that school of yours. So one wrong move, one not-so-innocent touch, and I will know."_

 _Grayson pats Damon on the shoulder before passing him to reach the bottom of the staircase._

 _Damon readjusts his tie as his throat feels like it's closing up. Grayson is a doctor and doctors can make injuries look like accidents...that thought scares him a little._

 _However, there is a part of him that knows he has to stick up for himself. He's Damon Salvatore. He's not a pushover._

 _"I love her, sir," he croaks out before clearing his throat._

 _Grayson cracks a small smile. "Elena," he calls up the stairs. "Damon's here."_

 _Miranda comes rushing down first, a giddy look on her face and a camera in hand._

 _"She is so beautiful!"_

 _Miranda is right as Damon stands at the bottom and Elena slowly makes her way down. Although her father made Damon nervous at the beginning, all his feelings washed away the moment Elena stepped into his arms._

 _This is where he belongs, his arms wrapped around her as their bodies mold into one._

 _He never wants to let her go._

* * *

"So," Elena whispers, "This is it. We just won't make it a big deal and then they won't."

Damon clasps her hand in his at the top of her stairs as they can hear the echoing of their friends' voices down in her living room. "Exactly." He pauses for only a moment. "And think of it this way: I'm pretty sure Stefan already knows what's going on. He caught me the other night sneaking out and then the next morning you were late to work. I think he's smart enough to put two and two together."

Elena knows that Damon has a point. She has been avoiding Stefan for what seems like forever but in reality it has only been a few days. When she sees him at the resort she strictly keeps the subjects on work, her mother, and their friends but the moment Stefan brings up Damon is the moment she excuses herself.

It's not that she doesn't want to talk to her best friend, but she and Damon made a promise that they would tell everyone together and as long as Damon keeps his half of the promise then she will too.

"Remember," Damon brings her hand to his mouth and presses a soft kiss to her heated skin. "No one else matters but you and me in this relationship. Okay?"

Elena smiles sweetly at him. He always knows what to say in order to calm her and she's quickly realizing that she depends on him to keep her sane and collected. It's a nice feeling, knowing that she has someone by her side again.

"What's that face for?" Damon asks her as he turns to her. His hand reaches up and cups her cheek and she can feel herself smiling even broader now.

After the accident she had lost her father and brother. Everyday she saw her mother she had to look Miranda in the eye knowing that she survived and they didn't. She doesn't know what is so special about herself that she survived and they couldn't. After the accident she had no one to talk to. Sure, she had her friends, but they didn't understand. After a few weeks they all went back to living their own lives while Elena was trapped in that car under water. For months she felt like she couldn't breathe.

And now there's Damon. He's right by her side and she's the happiest she's ever been.

"I love you," she says seriously before relacing their hands again and starting to walk down the stairs.

"Seriously, as much as I love you, you guys have to leave," Tyler's voice can be heard over the television that is playing in the background.

"Don't you four have plans of your own?" Bonnie asks.

There's a pause and Elena can only imagine Bonnie counting the high schoolers to see just how many people are in the living room. "Where's Elena and Damon?" She asks.

"Probably fighting," Matt snorts. "When we hear screaming that's when we should all be concerned."

Elena glances at Damon from the side and she can see the corner of his mouth tilt up in his famous smirk. She knows he is rubbing off on her when her smile turns into a cocky smirk too.

"You went to the music store?" Caroline's voice can be heard above everyone's chatter.

"Stop looking through his things," Mason directs.

Elena shrugs her shoulders as if to say _now's a good time_ and then bounces down the last three steps with Damon's hand still firmly attached to her own.

"Hey guys," she chirps.

"Hey, what were..." Caroline's voice trails off the moment Damon comes into view.

The moment all seven pairs of eyes land on their joined hands Elena can feel the heat travel up her neck and to her cheeks. Maybe just stepping down the stairs wasn't a good idea, but now that they have, she's going to own it and put on a confident smile. Biting the inside of her mouth to keep herself distracted she feels Damon's thumb run over her knuckles and she's calmed a little.

"Did we miss something here?" Bonnie's voice is deadpanned as her eyes flash between their joined hands and then back to Elena.

"Like an alternate universe?" Matt supplies.

"Or more like a time warp," Tyler coos. "Like back to freshmen year!"

"Relax," Damon speaks up as he takes his joined hand and puts it around her shoulders instead. Elena doesn't know if he did that because the move is so natural or if it's to comfort her because it seems she has lost all speech until she meets Mason's eyes.

They're stormy and narrowed the moment he notices her watching him. He's leaning against the opposite wall with his arms crossed and his eyes pinched together. His head is cocked to the side as if he's trying to wrap his head around this newly revealed information.

"Well it's about damn time," Caroline finally yells with laughter before she launches herself into Elena's body and she's pulled out of Damon's hold.

Elena is surprised and shocked at Caroline's excitement but she wouldn't have it any other way. She knows that Caroline knows the most about her and Damon over the past recent weeks and it's nice knowing that she supports their relationship.

"As long as you're happy then we're all happy," the blonde whispers into Elena's ear.

"Thank you," Elena murmurs back so no one else can hear.

"So no dates with Aaron this week?" Bonnie asks skeptically. "That was all just a story to cover who you were really with."

"Technically I didn't say I was with Aaron," Elena points out. "I said that I had plans with someone and you automatically assumed it was him."

Bonnie huffs her annoyance at assuming wrong before smiling. "Well, it's about time you two finally got over yourselves."

"Okay," Damon sits down in the big recliner and props his feet up on the ottoman before him. His hands grab her hips and Elena sinks down on his lap. "Can we please stop making this a big deal? You've all seen us together before so it's nothing new."

"Are you stupid?" Mason's voice is loud and clear. It sends a small shiver down Elena's back as she looks at him. Watching wearily, Mason straightens and looks directly at her.

She can feel years of want and longing looming in his voice as she worries her bottom lip. She knows how much Mason wants to date her but she can't help her feelings. She just doesn't like him like that. She loves Damon-always has and always will.

"Watch your mouth man," Alaric warns.

"No," Damon scoffs. "Let him speak. He's doing nothing more than making a fool of himself right now."

"I'm not talking to you, Salvatore," Mason spits as his angry eyes land back on Elena. "He's just using you. You know that, right? I mean, he's screwed more than half the female population at school. You're just one of many."

"You're wrong," Elena says evenly. "I'm trying so hard to give you the benefit of the doubt Mason, but you're making it so hard. Please just accept that I don't like you like that and move on-be happy with Hayley or Katherine or someone else."

Elena swears she can see something tick in Mason's jaw as he moves towards her front door. Everyone watches him go without saying anything. They all know to stay out of this argument.

"You didn't even give us a try. He's only going to hurt you in the end," Mason warns before walking out.

It's silent in the room before Tyler makes the first move. He sends Elena and Damon a sympathetic look before shrugging. "I should go after him-make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Meet up at sundown tonight still?"

It takes Elena a quick second to realize he's referring to their prank they have planned. "Uh...yah. We'll text you the details."

Elena doesn't want Mason's words looming over her relationship with Damon. She doesn't want doubts to fill his mind and so she twists in her spot and his hand tightens on her waist.

"Just you and me, remember?" She reminds him gently. "We only matter in this relationship."

* * *

Elena can feel stares being thrown their way, some eyes narrowed while others are wide and questioning with confusion. But not once has she seen Damon's eyes travel to others. He isn't hesitating in his movements, keeping her hand clasped in his as they walk through the fair.

The music is loud while the lights are bright in the dark sky. Carnies are coercing kids to ride the attractions while games are also taking place on one half of the fair ground. They have just finished walking through the game area with Damon carrying a giant panda tucked under his arm.

He had won the game where he had to use a hammer to hit as hard as he could in order to ring the bell. Elena had told him that most games are rigged so the big prizes couldn't be won, but Damon proved her otherwise and sure enough as soon as he swung the bell went off and he won the giant stuffed animal for her.

If people weren't watching before, they certainly were then. It isn't too often you see North High's King walking through the fair carrying a stuffed animal.

"You know," Damon says coolly as they start walking towards the rides. "I still don't know how you managed to come up with South High's prank. No one, and I mean no one, messes with my car and yet you little minx managed to hide a harmonica on my baby without me knowing about it."

Elena feels Damon's arm wrap around her and pull her into his side. She snuggles her head against his chest while wrapping her arms around his waist while walking towards the ferris wheel.

South High and North High both completed their pranks and it soon became obvious that South High came up with an original, unused prank. No one said anything, but South High won that year.

They had bought cheap harmonicas and taped them to the grill of each football players and cheerleaders cars. It created a buzzing sound every time someone drove their car and had even resulted in a few of the players worrying about their transportation and so they took their babies to a mechanic.

"You had Stefan so worried that he had multiple worry lines on his already wrinkled face. I swear that kid is going to have an ulcer by the time he's twenty with how much he stresses about other people."

Elena watches as Damon effortlessly pulls out two tickets from his pocket to hand to the carnie so they can enter the ride. It's such an easy going gesture that has her smiling from ear to ear as he sets the panda down near the exit of the ride. Somehow, they were together and happy again. Somehow, everything seems perfect in that moment.

"Yah," Elena slides into the seat that resembles a bench with a bar that glides over their heads to keep them seated. "Well, you still need to help me clean up the mess you and Stefan did to my yard. How original," she sarcastically says, "toilet paper…"

"Hey," Damon defends himself with a chuckle as he once again pulls her close so he can put his arm around her shoulders. "It was Stefan's and Matt's idea. They should help you."

Being around their friends as a couple didn't change anything in their group dynamics. Everything stayed the same, except for Mason never being around when she and Damon were with people.

Elena frowns just thinking about Mason Lockwood and how estranged they have grown over the past month of summer. She knows how much he was hoping to date her, but she just doesn't feel that way about him and so she figures the best thing she can do is wait for him to come to her. She wants to give him space because there's not much more they can say to each other at this point.

"You still want to go to Caroline's party tomorrow night, right?" Damon asks as the ferris wheel starts moving slowly and they are lifted into the sky. "Because if you don't then we can always order take out and stay in. I'm sure we can find something to do."

Damon's hand starts lightly traveling up her bare leg, to the hem of her black dress, and as much as he makes goosebumps coat her skin and tingle, she stops him before he can be too inappropriate.

"I think we've been anti social enough the last couple of days. Care will kill us if we don't come."

Her bubbly, blonde friend has been feeling left out lately since Elena started dating Damon publically. And as much as Damon went to high school parties the last two years, he admitted to Elena the other night that he really only went because he knew she was going to be there.

"Ugh," he groans. "Get a few shots in that girl and she won't even know that we didn't attend."

"Damon!" Elena admonishes but she can't help the curve of her mouth as she knows that Damon is right.

"See," he points out, "Even you can't deny that I'm wrong."

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? Me having to drag you to dances and parties to see our friends?" Elena teases. She doesn't know what she said but when she looks up Damon is looking out into the distance with his mouth in a straight line.

It is as if he is in another world.

"Damon?" Elena whispers. "I was only joking."

"I know," he finally reassures her. He presses a quick kiss to the side of her head as if he still needs reassurance that she's there with him. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

"About the last dance we went too. It was the winter ball, remember?"

"Of course I do."

The winter ball always happens in February, taking place around Valentine's day. But instead of hearts and pink frills the gym is decorated with a winter snow theme.

"Well do you remember I was a little quiet at first?" Damon asks.

As their conversation continues their seat on the ride is nearing the top. It's a pretty night with bright red, blue, and white lights twinkling below them.

"It was a little awkward, like when we first started dating, but you made it up to me by showing me your secret place in school and then we got caught by your history teacher, Mr. Tanner, for inappropriate behavior. When my father came to pick me up I thought he would never let me see you again."

"I never told you why I was quiet."

The ride stops as Elena and Damon sit at the very top overlooking their lit up town. Others are getting off the ride and so it gives Damon the perfect time to explain to Elena what he needs to say.

"What is it?" Elena takes a silent gulp as her minds works in overdrive to think of reasons on why Damon is telling her what he never told her before. "Damon, you're scaring me."

"It's nothing bad," he says right away. "God no, nothing bad. It's just…it's about your dad and since we've been together we haven't really spoken much about your family and I don't know if it's a taboo topic or not."

He's tripping over his words and if he hadn't mentioned her father she would have thought he was being boyishly cute.

"It's not a taboo topic. It's not my favorite, but we're allowed to talk about dad and Jeremy. They were practically your family too," she says softly while lightly stroking her hand across his cheek.

"I just want you to know that…" Damon trails off for a moment as he thinks of the words he wants to say. Elena deserves the truth. He wants her to know everything she can about her family since they were taken from her too soon. "He loved you very much and as much as he treated me like his own, he was very protective of you."

"What are you talking about? He didn't talk to you, did he?"

Damon grins because he can see the start of a big, fat grin playing on Elena's face. He had his doubts about talking about her family because it's a sore subject for her—rightfully so. However, she should have as many memories of Grayson and Jeremy as possible.

"That's exactly what your father did. He was a doctor. It's scary to think about how he can make an injury look like an accident."

Elena giggles and snuggles closer to him. "That didn't stop you from corrupting me."

"Honey," he smirks, "Nothing and no one can keep me from you."

"Suck up."

"If it gets me on your good side, then hell yah I'm a suck up."

Elena looks up at Damon just as their bench is stationed on the ground. The way that she's looking at him, as if he's the only guy in the world, has his heart thumping wildly in his chest.

He has to kiss her.

And so he does. He doesn't warn her, doesn't coddle her. Instead his mouth goes straight for hers and his tongue tangles with her own. His mouth is greedy as it takes what she offers and he leaves her breathless.

"What was that for?"

If people weren't staring before they sure as hell are now.

"I love you. That's what that was for."

* * *

 **Preview for next chapter:**

"I want you," she whispers in his ear. Tugging on his earlobe with her teeth she grins as his hands grip her waist and his hips buck up. "Right here, right now."

...

"Elena! Fuck." Damon runs his hand through his hair in exasperation. He's desperate and he can't seem to find any of their friends for help.

"Problem in paradise already? Can't say I'm surprised."

Damon turns with a hatred in his eyes that makes his blood boil.


	18. Next Contestant

**Author's Note-So I have reached the 200 review mark. Time for a celebration with another update. I hope you guys aren't too disappointed with this chapter. Please don't throw nasty things at me as you read this. My intention for this story is not to cause harm to my characters so have faith in me.**

* * *

" _Is that your hand on my girlfriend?  
Is that your hand?  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping  
I wish you'd do it again  
I'll watch you leave here limping  
There goes the next contestant."_

Nickelback

There are people scattered among Caroline's yard already. Colorful fairy lights are strung about the fences, lamp post, and porch. Elena and Damon carefully follow the empty, scattered red solo cups to the backyard where most of their friends are.

Elena feels Damon grip her hand a little tighter, making her pause her walking as she looks at her boyfriend curiously.

When she sees his face clearly she can tell he's thinking about something as his eyes glance between the house and her.

Although they debuted their relationship at the carnival, they are still receiving wide eyed looks from their classmates. She can even hear some whispers as they pass by jealous and supportive students.

 _I can't believe he's dating_ _ **her**_ **.**

 _They are the cutest couple._

 _He can do so much better._

 _Fuck, she's hot tonight._

The last comment Elena hears before blocking everyone out makes her a little uncomfortable. She knows that the opposite sex thinks she's attractive and she should be used to comments like that, but now that she has a boyfriend she only wants him to think she looks good.

"What's wrong?"

"This is a party," he starts to say, "With drinking, music, and classmates who can't mind their own business." Damon's hand cups her cheek as he slowly backs her up against Caroline's house. His hips join her and she can already start to feel a bulge in the front of his jeans. "I just want you all to myself tonight-at least for a little while."

"Damon." Elena twists her arms around his neck, bringing him closer so they are only a breath away. "You have me. You'll always have me."

"Do you trust me?"

His look is dark and concentrated. As his eyes turn a darker shade of blue right before her eyes the air leaves her lungs and it's hard to breathe. Being cherished by Damon Salvatore has her heart racing. It's a feeling that she doesn't think she can get used to.

"Of course I do."

"Follow me."

He takes her hand in his and starts leading her to the front of the house. Navigating through people is hard when she's wearing heels that make her taller, emphasizing her long legs. She doesn't know why he's pulling her up the stairs, but she goes with him willingly.

The only rooms upstairs are bathrooms, Caroline's mom's office, and bedrooms. The night is still young, and so Elena doesn't understand why he's taking her to a guest room but she doesn't question him. It's obvious that something is on Damon's mind and as he knocks on a door it excites her knowing that she's by his side.

When no one answers the door Damon slowly opens it to reveal a clean, guest room with no one in it.

"What's going on?" Elena asks.

She knows that Damon has hooked up with various girls at parties. He usually has a quickie before leaving the girls behind, and although that behavior repulses her, she has always wondered what it would feel like to have a quickie at a party with Damon Salvatore.

The idea sends shivers through her body as Damon locks the door behind them.

Having a quickie with the guy she loves isn't repulsive. It's thrilling and daring knowing that any one of their classmates can possibly walk in or hear them. Elena knows that nearly everyone is downstairs, and if they're loud enough then everyone will know what they're doing.

They'll have to stay quiet. Like a challenge.

She swears her heart is going to beat out of her chest at just the idea of biting into Damon's skin to keep her screams muffled.

"The last couple of weeks have been amazing." Damon's back is turned to her as she sees him fiddling with his phone before propping it up on the dresser. Only the moonlight is shining through but she can see his outline perfectly. Light music starts to play and she realizes it's coming through his phone. "But everything about the last two weeks has been about other people. What our friends think, how pissed is Lockwood, and what will our classmates think...but tonight I just want it to be about us."

The song, _Broken,_ by Seether is lightly playing in the background.

She knows how Damon feels about PDA. Over the last two years she has never seen him hold hands with anyone. She has seen him kiss girls, but nothing too risky. And now that she thinks of it, she can't remember seeing him hug another girl. All those things he's done with her freshmen year, but no one else.

"I just want to dance with you right now," he requests huskily before placing his hand on her lower waist and lacing their fingers together with his other hand. "With no one else watching us."

Elena lets her head rest against Damon's shoulder as they sway gently to the music. With his arms around her, his body molding to hers, she feels safe in the world. It's as if they are the only two people in the world in that moment.

Slowly, in a tantalizing motion, his fingers trace over her body. She's wearing a strapless blue dress that flares out at her hips and leads into a white and blue striped pattern and so it's easy access for Damon's wondering fingers.

"You smell so good," he nuzzles his nose into the side of her head and inhales. She giggles as he exhales, his warm breath tickling her skin. "You drive me crazy."

When he pulls back their eyes connect. Something is set off between them because all the air is vacuumed out of Elena's lungs. All of a sudden the air conditioned room feels twenty degrees hotter and her cheeks blush under his hooded gaze.

"I want you so bad right now," he admits.

"Then take me," she offers breathlessly. She doesn't know where her voice went but she thinks it has something to do with the way Damon is looking at her.

Elena leans up and connects their mouths. His hand tangles in her mess of curls and she can't keep her hands away from his chest. He's wearing a thin, dark blue polo and it doesn't take her long to pull it over his head.

Damon's skin is on fire and it cradles her within it's warmth. His body is towering over hers as they stumble backwards during their kiss and her back hits the wall near the bed. She's lucky they didn't hit the dresser or else she would be experiencing a sharp pain.

His fingers skim the zipper at her side as his mouth presses hard kisses to her jaw, neck and shoulder.

"Damon," she whimpers because she doesn't know what else to say. His name is the only thing she wants to speak.

His fingers make quick work at her zipper. Her dress slides down her body, pooling by their feet on the floor.

Damon pulls back from kissing her to look at her nearly bare body. The only thing she's wearing is a dark blue thong with two little white bows on the sides.

"Fuck," he hisses as his eyes travel the length of her.

She doesn't feel self conscious as their breaths mingle together. Elena can feel Damon even with inches separating them. He's all over her, claiming her, and she wants to be his fully.

Elena connects their mouths again, using her body to push him back towards the made up bed. She doesn't think Damon even realizes they are moving until his knees hit the bed and she lowers him down with her straddling him.

Feeling his erection through his jeans, she can't help but grind her hips to cause friction where they both need it.

"I want you," she whispers in his ear. Tugging on his earlobe with her teeth she grins as his hands grip her waist and his hips buck up. "Right here, right now."

Her hands search blindly for the button on his jeans, and she makes quick work of the zipper. It's when her hand lightly grazes his length through his boxers that he starts to sit up on the haunches of his arms.

"Baby...stop...we have to stop."

"What? Why?"

Elena sits up fully, running her hand through her hair to get it out of her face.

The need for Damon is strong and she can't ignore the burning ache between her legs.

"You deserve for me to go slow. Every single time we've been together we've either been outside in the mud, quick and quiet so no one can hear us, or rough because I can't control myself around you. We need to go slow tonight. It's what you deserve."

His sincerity melts her heart, but that's not what she wants. For once in her life she's at a party thrown by her friend-a party where she isn't disgusted by Damon and his latest fling. For once, she wants to let go and be a typical teenager, sneaking off with her boyfriend to have a romp in a guestroom.

Elena takes his hands and guides them to her breasts. Butterflies flutter in her lower stomach, traveling throughout her body as she feels his calloused hands on her skin.

"And what if I don't want to go slow tonight? What if I want a quickie with my boyfriend?" She presses a kiss to the side of his mouth before pulling back to look him in the eye. "I appreciate that you want to go slow for me Damon, but I've never had a quickie before at a party. The idea is exciting to me; knowing that anyone can try to enter the room."

"They better fucking not," he snarls. "Only I get to see you like this."

Elena smirks. "Knowing that anyone can hear us... knowing that it's your name on my lips as you enter me. I want you right now."

Her hands continue to push his jeans down and he kicks out of his pants. Damon's rippleing abs are beneath her, and she gets a thrill at rubbing her fingers up his tight stomach, over his heart and through his hair. Leaning down so she's on all fours, hovering over him, she grins into their kiss as she can feel his hips gyrating in circles.

His erection is teasing her.

When Damon slips his fingers past her panties she shuts her eyes in pleasure. The way he knows exactly what she wants is still astounding to her, but she never questions him.

"You want a quickie? Then there's no foreplay." Bringing his fingers to his lips Elena watches as he licks her juices off his digits. And within a second he turns their bodies so he's hovering over her. "I'm gonna rock your world," he whispers in her ear.

Her competitive side smirks triumphantly. "Show me what you got." Pulling his boxers down, his erection is freed and in one fast move her panties are pushed aside, she can feel the fabric straining against her body, and then he's inside her.

She cries out desperately as her nails sink into his back shoulder blades. His face is filled with just as much expression. Damon's mouth is open in a silent 'o' shape as he starts to thrust in her. Long, even strokes that fill her to the hilt.

"Say it," Damon grits out through clenched teeth.

Damon's hitting her special spot over and over again and Elena can feel her thigh start to quiver. She can always feel Damon the next morning after their lovemaking and she wants to feel him tomorrow too.

"Only you. I love," she lets out a moan as he changes the force he's entering her. "only you. Love you."

"And no one else," he shakes while on top of her.

The breath is leaving her body as she feels her body give way to Damon's. The feeling starts in her lower belly, travels through her quivering legs, and reaches her painted toes before shaking through her forcefully. Damon isn't far behind and soon he thrusts twice more before he's leaning over her, letting the last of his seed fill her before pulling out.

* * *

After their quickie, Elena has quickly freshened up before they both go down to the party. Their friends are none the wiser as Elena just explained they had to stop and fill Damon's car with gas first. Everyone seemed to accept that answer except Alaric who smirked at them both. Elena watched Damon and Alaric communicate with their eyes before Alaric chuckled.

After mingling with their classmates for a while Caroline and Tyler disappeared to her bedroom, Bonnie wasn't feeling good so Matt took her home, Stefan was inside with a few of his teammates playing video games in the basement while Alaric was on the dance floor with Rebekah.

"Am I staying at your place tonight?" Damon murmurs in her ear.

Elena smiles and it lights up her face as he presses a kiss to her neck. "Do you even have to ask?"

Before Damon responds he can feel two eyes from across the pool watching their every move. Elena must notice too because she looks over her shoulder and frowns.

"Maybe I should go and talk to him."

"Baby," he reasons, "You don't have to do anything. He's the one distancing himself from you. Lockwood's an idiot."

Elena shoots him a glare. "He's my friend Damon. He was there when others weren't."

Although she doesn't say that Mason basically took his place when they were fighting for two years, he knows she means it. Guilt eats away at him but instead of caving to his jealous side, he nods his head in understanding.

"Well then you should go over there to talk to him, but remember that he's the one avoiding you. He may not feel like talking because he's a douc...he's thinking roughly right now. I'm gonna go make sure Stefan is okay for driving, and then I'll meet you back at my car in fifteen minutes, okay?"

He doesn't want to separate but he knows that Elena deserves to talk to her friend. He doesn't want to be the reason she loses someone because of his insecurities.

"Thank you."

Giving her one last kiss he makes his way to Stefan only to find him in a middle of a beer pong tournament. Enzo is his teammate, but he looks like he can barely stand. It's when Damon makes it over to his brother that Enzo rushes past him and they all watch in amusement as he locks himself in the downstairs bathroom.

"Looks like I need a partner, brother," Stefan says.

"How drunk are you?" Damon asks skeptically.

"Just tipsy enough." Stefan smiles, a rare thing that only alcohol brings out.

"Then I better be your partner before you get too wasted to drive."

Damon takes out his phone to text Elena.

 _In basement playing bp. Come join us. Promise I'll make it up to you ;)_

Damon sets his phone on the table and starts the game with Stefan. They're playing two guys from South High who are obviously very drunk themselves.

"Jesus," he mutters to Stefan. "How many rounds have they played?"

"Don't know...but this is to see who goes to the finals."

Ten minutes go by and Damon glances at his phone to see that Elena still hasn't responded. This isn't good because he knows for a fact that Elena always has her phone; especially at parties where she might need to call for help.

Stefan has just made the winning shot, cheering with the crowd who has gathered to watch them, but Damon grabs his phone and calls Elena. He turns his back away from everyone and plugs his other ear in hopes that he can hear the faint ringing.

He's sure it'll just go to voicemail after five rings, but on the sixth ring she picks up. However, she doesn't say anything.

Squinting his eyes in confusion he pulls his phone away to look at the screen. The time is counting the minutes they talk, so he knows the phone just didn't shut off.

"Elena?" Damon calls into it. Each second where he doesn't hear her voice has him on edge. "Elena!"

There's rustling on the other end of the phone. Walking further away from the cheering he finally is able to hear her a little bit better.

"... _stop...don't wanna...Klaus._ "

Damon's fingers go white and all the color drains from his face. Her voice is faint, as if she doesn't have the phone up to her mouth and her voice sounds groggy with sleep.

No...not again, Damon thinks to himself.

"Elena! Where are you?" There's no response. "Elena, please baby. Where are you?"

Damon strains his ears and thinks he hears the same song that is playing throughout the house through the phone. It's muffled but he can hear it. She's still somewhere in the house.

Damon doesn't wait to get Stefan who is more drunk than he let on. Instead, he takes off through the party, yelling Elena's name as he pushes past people. Keeping the phone on, he keeps it to his ear, but he can only hear music and other people chatting away as if she's being carried past people.

"Elena! Fuck." Damon runs his hand through his hair in exasperation. He's desperate and he can't seem to find any of their friends for help.

"Problem in paradise already? Can't say I'm surprised."

Damon turns with a hatred in his eyes that makes his blood boil. Mason Lockwood is standing at the bottom of the stairs on the main floor, a red solo cup in his hand and a cocky smirk on his face.

But Damon doesn't have time for this or his anger towards Mason.

"Have you seen Elena or Klaus?" He demands frantically.

His heart is beating a mile a minute and he's pretty sure this is what a heart attack feels like without actually having a heart problem. Sweat drips down the side of his face as he steps closer to Mason. At this party he seems to be the only sober person left.

Mason snorts. "I don't associate myself with Michaelson. He's a prick."

That's one thing we agree on, Damon notes dryly.

But he doesn't have time for Mason's childish antics as he knocks Lockwood into the wall and grips his shirt with a force he didn't even know he was capable of.

"Have. You. Seen. Elena?"

It takes a second, but Mason can see just how hysteric Damon is.

"Not since she came over to me by the pool. I brushed her off and she walked away saying something about how you were right and I think she was headed through the gate where all the cars are parked." Damon slowly releases Mason and brings his phone up to his ear, but it's dead.

"Damn it!" He yells while throwing his phone against the wall. "Fuck...Fuck...Fuck!"

"What the fuck man?!" Mason yells as Damon's phone lays in pieces on the floor. By this time people surrounding them are watching the interaction with wide, scared eyes. But no one is stupid enough to intervene.

"I need to find Klaus. He has-"

"Klaus?" Aaron asks from above Damon. He's standing on the fifth stair, leaning over the banister. He's talking to Katherine and a few other kids who are drunk and have hazy eyes. "He's just went upstairs. Carrying E-elena," Aaron hiccups.

Damon doesn't wait as he tears past people, pushing kids out of the way.

"What the fuck?" Mason is hot on his heels.

"He drugged her. Somehow he drugged her again. He's-" Damon can't even finish the thought of Klaus touching Elena.

"He's dead," Mason finishes gravely.

For once, the two rivals can agree on one thing.

Klaus is dead.


	19. Your Guardian Angel

**The chapter a lot of you guys were waiting for is finally here. And just a heads up that this story has about three, maybe four chapters left. Let me know what you think and check out my new story:** **_The Doppelganger Curse_.**

* * *

 _I will never let you fall_  
 _I'll stand up with you forever_  
 _I'll be there for you through it all_  
 _Even if saving you sends me to Heaven  
_ Your Guardian Angel-The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

When Damon's eyes settle on the last door in the hallway his fists shake. Elena is behind that door with Klaus. She's defenseless, vulnerable, and has Klaus all over her. She can't do anything to defend herself because if he gave her the same thing as he gave her before then she is probably out cold right now. She won't even remember what happens, and for once, Damon is thankful that she won't remember. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve Klaus trying to attack her at nearly every party he shows up at.

It's not right. It's not fair.

Mason is right behind Damon-the football star nearly forgetting how easily Mason followed him when it came to Elena's safety.

"He took her to that room." Mason points towards the door Damon is glaring at. "That's the last room up here that we haven't checked. I'm going to kill him."

 _Not if I beat you to it_ , Damon thinks to himself as his feet carry him towards the room. There are various random people scattered about upstairs, but for the most part everyone is either in the living room, basement or outside. Music is blaring from the downstairs and it's getting hard for Damon to hear himself think over all the noise.

He goes to open the door but it's locked. Slamming his fist on the door in aggravation, he rams his whole body into the door with all his strength. It shakes a little, but not much.

"Klaus!" Damon yells.

"Harder," Mason urges.

Damon doesn't have time to think of a sarcastic retort as he can only think of Elena and how scared she would be if she was conscious. She put all her trust in him to keep her safe, they are finally together and he's supposed to be there for her. Instead, he left her at the party, told her to meet him at his car without looking out for her. He knew that Klaus was at the party, he knew that beating him to a pulp years ago wasn't going to stick. He needs to do something better than last time.

Grunting from the force of his shoulder hitting the wooden door, it finally opens-splinters of wood scattering about the room.

Damon stands in the doorway, surveying the scene before him.

Klaus looks up from crouching over someone on the bed, his eyes squinting since it's dark in the room but the light from the hallway is pouring in.

"Get off her," Damon demands, lowly, but the threat is serious as his fists clench at his sides. "Now."

Klaus looks between Elena's lifeless body on the bed and back to Damon.

"Don't look at her. She's not going to be able to help you."

Damon's body is rigid and tight as he takes slow, controlled steps into the room. He doesn't know how he does it, but he makes it to the side of the bed that Klaus is standing on now. He's holding his hands up in a surrender motion and Damon chuckles darkly at the action.

"I spared you last time, but this time is different."

Klaus looks over Damon's shoulder; his fear evident on his stricken face.

"You're making a scene, mate."

"I'm not your mate," Damon exclaims as he rams his arms into Klaus' chest and pushes him back against the side table. The lamp and books that were on the table tumble to the ground as Klaus falls against the wall.

Looking down at Elena, Damon frowns as he notices the zipper on Elena's side is undone, the dress hanging on her body like a limp washcloth. It's barely covering her chest, and from the side he can see her dusky pink nipple. A fire burns through Damon, but his instincts when it comes to keeping Elena safe kick in and he kneels down next to her unconscious body. If she were in his arms, at her home, safe and sound then Damon would think she's sleeping peacefully.

But instead, thin strands of hair are covering her face, he can see angry red marks marring her perfect skin on her arms, and her body is exposed too much for Damon's liking. Only he should see her like this. Only when she's awake should she be this vulnerable.

She's displayed for their classmates though and his protective instincts kick in right away as he quickly starts to zipper her dress back up, rearranges her dress so it's properly covering her chest and he scans the room to find a knitted afghan at the end of the bed.

"Stay down," Damon hears Mason behind him. Only sparing Klaus a second of his time, he sees that Mason is holding him by the collar in a death grip and slamming him against the wall to keep him still.

Refocusing on the task at hand, Damon grabs the blanket and wraps it around Elena while picking her up bridal styles. He always thought that in the movies when the male picks the female up bridal style it was mushy and girly. But he put up with it because it's what Elena liked to watch. But now, holding her to his chest, protecting her from prying eyes of classmates, he understands the feeling of holding her like this. He needs to cradle her. He needs to keep her safe.

Beating Klaus for the whole party to see isn't protecting Elena.

He did that last time and it backfired in his face. He spent months looking over his shoulder in fear of Klaus turning him in.

Damon's not going to make that mistake again.

Instead, he's going to get Elena out of the party; away from all the gossip and murmurs.

"I'm going to enjoy beating you," Mason growls.

"Don't," Damon commands.

Mason looks at Damon with wide eyes. He's still holding Klaus in place, using his full strength to pressure him.

"Are _you_ high? What he did is despicable. We can't let him get away with it!"

"We won't." Damon looks right into Klaus's eyes, mirth twinkling in his dark blue orbs for a second as he thinks of ways to punish him. "He'll get what's coming to him," Damon promises.

But it's not their call. Not this time.

Looking down at Elena she feels so small in his hands, as if she's weightless. Not caring who's watching he presses a kiss to the crown of her head, thankful that they at least got there in time before Klaus really took advantage of her and stripped her naked. But knowing that her dress was unzipped and Klaus was on top of her has Damon hating himself that he couldn't prevent that.

* * *

Elena's eyes flutter open but the moment she sees light illuminating from her side table she shuts them. It's too bright and her head hurts. All she wants is to keep her eyes shut and sleep off her terrible hangover.

"Oh God," she groans while holding her head with her hand. She just wants to bury herself under her covers and never drink again.

If Damon is feeling half as bad as her then maybe she can convince him to call into work and say that he's sick. They can lie together, watch old movies, and eat food that is really greasy and really bad for them. That sounds like a perfect day to Elena.

Reaching out to her side, she feels the bed is empty.

"Damon?" Elena forces her eyes open as she groggily sits up in bed.

"I'm here," he whispers.

Damon is looking out her window, leaning over the window seat with both hands pressed against the walls on either side. She watches as his back is tense and rigid, as if he's expecting a fight with someone. But confusion settles in as she watches him bow his head like he's disappointed in something.

She doesn't have to see his face to know that he's wearing a look of shame. But she doesn't remember why.

Oh God, she tries to think back to the party. How she and Damon danced, how they fucked each other in the guest room, and how they mingled and danced before Damon told her to meet him at his car. She had tried talking to Mason, but he wasn't in the mood, and when she left to go to Damon's car she passed by the drinks table.

Only she doesn't remember drinking or anything after that. She must have taken a shot or a drink from the punch bowl, and then when she looked around the party to spot any of their friends, then that must have been the moment something happened. She took one look away from her drink.

Sitting up with wide eyes and fright in her voice she throws the blanket off of her and notices that she's in one of Damon's black V-necks and blue boy short panties. This isn't want she was wearing the night before.

"Something happened," she rushes out as she swears she can feel another man's hand on her. It's all in her imagination but she can _feel_ someone touching her. "What happened? It was Klaus, wasn't it? It was him again?" Elena starts itching her arms, scratching to make the feeling go away. She looks down and sees bruises covering her upper arms, in shapes of fingers. Tears gather in her eyes as she thinks of everything that Klaus could have done. How he used her body.

She scratches harder until she's clawing marks up and down her arms.

"I can feel him," she exclaims in a panic.

Damon whirls around in alarm and she barely notices the agony on his face. He watches for only a second as she kicks her feet a little to get loose from the blankets. She feels trapped and desperate.

"He's all over me. Make it stop. Damon, please. I can feel his hands again. I can't breathe," she cries.

Rushing over, she's cradled in Damon's safe arms. He holds her tightly, smashing her to his chest and locking his body around hers. He's pressing kisses to the top of her head, whispering to calm her down, but nothing is working.

"Sh…I promise, nothing happened. I got there in time. Mason and I stopped him. I promise."

Elena feels as if bugs are crawling over her skin.

"I can't breathe," she pants, clutching at her chest, pulling the shirt she's wearing away from her body. Everything is too much for her. She feels captured in an enclosed space.

She barely feels Damon lifting her and carrying her to her bathroom that is attached. The water in the shower starts but the feeling of being trapped consumes her.

"Damon," she cries as her fingers blindly grab for him too.

And then her mouth is filled with water, the cold droplets hitting her skin like tiny spikes and she gasps in shock at how cold the shower is.

Damon is standing in her shower too, facing her as her back is turned to the water spout, and he pushes her hair out of her face. She must look like a drowned rat as the overly sized shirt hangs limply on her body and her hair is matted down.

He's wearing his clothes too from the night before. His dark jeans and navy blue polo clinging to his body as his boots also get wet.

The water is starting to warm up, and Elena is still shaking due to her hysteria and the cold water, but she can breathe again as she concentrates on Damon looking down upon her. His hand smooths over her hair, down her cheek and neck, and then goes back to her cheek to cup her gently.

"You're okay," he promises. "You're safe. You're always safe with me."

And then he kisses the top of her head once...twice...a third time before his lips ghost over her cheek, the corner of her mouth, her exposed neck.

He leaves his face buried in her neck, inhaling, and then his lips are shaking slightly. His whole body is quivering softly and Elena shuts her eyes as she lets the feeling of Damon wash over her.

In this situation, with Damon holding onto her for his dear life she doesn't know what to say, how to make things better for the both of them, and so she just holds him too. Wrapping her arms around his soaked body she clings to him and lets the tears run down her cheeks and onto his already wet polo.

But then she looks down at their feet, and she can't help but giggle softly.

Damon pulls back and their eyes match in despair and anguish.

"What could possibly be so funny right now?"

"You're still wearing your shoes in the shower." Still giggling, she is glad that Damon's deep chuckle joins her, and when she looks back up she's mesmerized by the shade of blue staring down at her.

"How do you feel?"

"Better. Less foggy...but still a little fuzzy. And my arms kinda hurt," she admits in a small voice. She's scared that a small part of Damon will judge her for what happened.

Delicately, hesitantly, he keeps his eyes trained on her in a silent question to touch her. He brings her arms up and runs his fingers over the scratched and bruised skin.

"May I?" He asks without looking away.

There's something about maintaining eye contact that has Elena's blood rushing fast. It's warm in the shower, but under Damon's gaze it is like an inferno.

Nodding her head silently she watches as Damon's lips press against the inside of her wrist. He continues further up her arm, being delicate and precise as he finally reaches her shoulder. And then when she thought he was done, he starts on her other arm.

"Damon," she whimpers with love.

He's consuming her, making her feel loved and adored as he takes care of her. Nothing in the world feels better than Damon Salvatore's lips on her.

Not being able to wait much longer, her hands lace around his neck and she pulls his mouth against her. He's taken off guard and they fall into the side of the shower. Only Damon is getting hit with water now as he uses his hands to take most of the fall.

"Elena," Damon starts to protest. She can tell by the pain in his eyes of being torn between need and the feeling of what's right that he is struggling to make the right decision.

"Make love to me," she whispers against his neck. Feeling his body respond she rolls her hips against his and he moans against her mouth.

"Please," she murmurs.

And that is the last plea she utters as Damon makes loves to her in the shower.

She feels her wounds healing and her world is no longer crashing down upon her. Damon is there with her, making her feel good and unblemished.

They have each other and that's all they need.

* * *

"We should really start showering together, you know, to save the planet and shit," he says while walking back into Elena's room. He's wearing a pair of athletic shorts he left earlier while she looks up from her desk and journal. She's wearing his practice jersey with her hair up in a messy bun, no makeup, and only panties covering her most sacred spot on her body.

He can't help his body's response as he feels his dick harden in his shorts once more. But when he sees the cloudiness in her eyes, the tears threatening to fall again, he springs into boyfriend mode and throws his towel in the corner to comfort her.

"What's wrong?" He asks immediately.

"How bad is Klaus hurt? What should I be expecting to see when I log into facebook?" Elena turns completely in her seat to face him. "Is he in the emergency room? Should he be? Or did you beat him hard enough to the point where he can't talk?"

She's goading him into saying he did something wrong, but he crouches down in front of her, and takes her hands into his.

"The last I saw him Mason had him pinned to the wall. He might have some bruising on his back from when I pushed him away from you, but that's all I did."

Elena doesn't blink and he watches as she takes small breaths. He knows that she's relieved, something he won't' ever understand, but he wonders if she's still going to be relieved when he tells her his other news.

"Not that Klaus doesn't deserve a beating for what he did, but I'm glad you didn't hurt him. I don't want you to carry that burden around with you because of me."

"I would do anything for you, but like I said, I don't know what Mason did after I left with you. He was out for murder too. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but you should call him. He was really worried about you and I have him and all of our friends blowing up my phone right now."

"Oh God," he watches as she worries her bottom lip, pulling it between the teeth and mouth that were just on him in the shower. "Everyone knows?"

"It was kind of hard to miss last night," Damon admits. "I sort of broke down Caroline's guest room door."

Elena's grip on him hardens and he runs soothing circles over her hands.

"I have to ask you something, 'Lena." Damon wants to ram his fists against Klaus for ever thinking of Elena, but he can't. Not now-not when he's in a committed relationship with a girl who hates physical fighting. "And it's important. What do you want to do about Klaus?"

He watches as she blinks once in surprise and then a second time in shock.

"I don't know what you mean," she shakily replies.

He knows she knows exactly what he means. Pressing a kiss to the inside of her palm, he encourages her.

"We know it was him who drugged you, Elena. We have witnesses at the party of him taking you to a locked room and trying to have his way with you. Now it's your choice, we either deal with him ourselves or we tell the police. We can still go in for lab work. They'll be able to detect the drug still in your system. But I'm giving you this choice. Something I didn't do last time."

"I don't know," she admits. "I just want to forget this ever happened. You said it yourself that the entirety of both of our schools practically knows about last night. That means he is basically blacklisted from all other parties this summer. And he leaves with his family at the end of August. I just want to forget about it today."

"One more thing and then we can forget about everything for today," he vows. Taking a deep breath, knowing that Elena might hate him for this, he says: "I called your mom."

"What?" She yells.

"I called her early this morning, and I think she told my parents because they have been calling every hour to check in on you. Mom even stopped by but I managed to send her away so you weren't bombarded by her when you woke up. Dad is ready to go over to the Klaus' house and threaten his parents for not being able to control their son, but mom managed to convince him until your mom comes back-which is going to be early tomorrow morning."

"She's coming home?"

"She would have been here sooner but that's the earliest flight she could get. Apparently there's a huge storm where she is. Please don't be mad," he asks.

"I'm not mad. I'm just surprised is all."

"I need you to know that I love you-so much-that sometimes I think it can't be possible for me to love someone as much I love you. And if another person tries to hurt you then I can't help but want to protect you-I _won't_ be able to stop myself."

"What made you stop last night?" She questions.

Damon takes pleasure in the way she runs her hands through his unruly hair and massages the back of his neck. He needs her hands on him. He needs to show her that he's the type of guy who will protect her and respect her wishes at the same time.

"You're going to think this is cheesy or that I'm going soft, but you made me stop. I saw you and nothing else mattered."

"You're wrong." Elena leans her forehead down so they're resting on each other. "It is possible to love someone as much as you love me because I love you just as well."

Damon can't stop himself from kissing her in that moment. Not once in his life has he wanted someone so bad.

"You're it for me," he promises.


	20. Aftermath--1 month later

**Author's Note-Please don't shoot me! I know I've been gone for months...and there's no excuse. Here's the last chapter. There will be an epilogue and then a few random deleted scenes. This chapter, towards the end gives a hint of what the random deleted scenes will be.**

 **Also, I have a new story outlined. A friend of mine posted it when I gave her permission to use my idea-only two chapters though-and then deleted all of her stories so I've decided to take back my idea and post casually. I'm student teaching this upcoming semester and graduating so I won't have so much time.**

 **But look for the prologue I post for that sometime this week. It's my first try at a whole supernatural story.**

* * *

Damon stands in front of his floor length mirror in his room, adjusting his tie and making sure it hangs perfectly around his neck.

"You know, I probably wouldn't have taken this job if I knew about the end of the summer party," Stefan's voice floats from his room, through the open bathroom, and in Damon's room. "I look like a penguin."

"Relax brother," Damon chuckles with an eye roll. "It's one night and then we won't ever have to go back to that place."

"Until next summer," Stefan's head pops through the doorway and his green eyes taunt his brother. "When we both need jobs before college."

Out of the corner of Damon's eye he sees his phone light up. Quickly glancing down at the screen he chucks his phone onto the bed; not bothering to respond.

"Told ya Lockwood sends a lot of texts," Stefan sing songs. "What was it this time? A date to the movies or some shit?"

It's been a few weeks since the weekend party at Caroline's. And since then Mason Lockwood has had some change of heart and is now treating Damon as if they have always been best buds. It started with a text to his party the following week after Caroline's. Then it escalated to inviting him to a barbeque. Of course all their other friends were invited too, but this is the first time that Damon's received a personal invite from Mason.

And then after the barbeque Mason asked Elena if she and Damon wanted to go on a double date with him and a chick named Haley. Damon didn't particularly think that was a good idea, but Elena convinced him that she was rebuilding her friendship with Mason and that they should go.

Later that night, Damon received the best blowjob from his girl.

She made it worth his time.

"Not a date," Damon growls at Stefan's teasing. "Just making sure I'm still helping him hook up speakers in his car this week."

"Oh," Stefan drawls out, "So you're his bitch now."

Flipping Stefan his finger, Damon stuffs his wallet in his pocket before grabbing his phone once more and leaving.

"Damon?" Lily Salvatore's voice calls from the kitchen.

When Damon enters the room he sees his mom busy at work cooking dinner for her and his dad. She has an apron on, hair tied back from her face, and is chopping peppers.

"You off to the staff party?"

"Yah. I'm picking Elena up first though, and I should be going…I'm late."

Damon's had various talks with his father over the years. Some more embarrassing than others. But not once has he had a talk with his mother, however, he can tell by her tone and little smile that she's about to ask him something he probably doesn't want to talk about.

"Hold it mister," she chides lightly. "How late are you going to be?"

"Mom, we've never had a curfew before—"

"That was before Klaus and—"

"I get it," Damon cuts her off; not wanting to talk about Klaus before he's suppose to see his girl. "We'll be home by eleven thirty."

"And she'll be sleeping in her bed tonight." Damon's eyes widen as his mouth dries out. "Yeah," Lily says sarcastically, but it doesn't sound like she's mad. "I heard her sneaking out of your room at four in the morning this morning. Don't let it happen again."

"Yes ma'am."

Damon quickly hugs his mom before bolting out of the room.

The conversation could have been a lot worse he reasons with himself.

Jogging over the front yards that separate him from Elena's house, he rings the doorbell before walking inside. He frowns as the door is unlocked. A part of him was hoping that Elena took his and her mom's word of caution to heart and locked the door.

"Elena?" Damon calls up the stairs.

"Mm-hmm," he hears a feminine mumble coming down the hall.

Slowly taking a step forward, he grins at seeing Elena walking towards him, her hair in a delicate messy bun, a few strands framing her face, and her dress looks as soft as her skin. It's black and form fitting down her torso, a white design on the bodice. The dress flares slightly at her hips so she can walk, and it turns mostly white; showing off her perfect tan skin.

But tucked into her sweetheart neckline is a giant napkin, her hands full with a giant burrito that is already halfway gone.

"You know," Damon steps forward even more, "If you didn't look so damn cute right now I would be scolding you for having your front door unlocked."

Swallowing, Elena says, "Stefan just texted and said you left. I unlocked it before you got here.

"You think you're so clever."

"I don't think it. I _know_ it," she whispers against his lips.

Pressing into Elena, he lets his body slowly cover hers against the wall.

"Mmm, my favorite, hot sauce," he teases while swiping his tongue along her bottom lip.

"Damon," she warns. But he can see the slight glint in her eye. "We don't have time for what you're thinking. The staff party, remember?"

"Right," he plays along but he discreetly slides his finger tips down her bare arm, and takes the food from her. "Oops," he whispers before letting her meal fall to the floor at their feet.

"Damon! You know I like to eat before we go to these things. That's my dinner on the ground."

"I can think of something else you might like to eat instead."

The way her dress fits her body like a glove has his blood running hot. Wearing very minimum makeup, the red lipstick stands out on Elena's face. He just wants to sink his teeth into her plump lips.

"You smell like cherries."

His nose nuzzles the side of her face, leading down to her open neck and he can feel her pulse speed up under his touch. And when he gathers her hands in both of his, raises them above her head, he hears her suck in a breath.

And when Elena's leg wraps around his calf, pushing his pants leg up so he can feel the tip of her heel rubbing his leg he nearly looses it on the spot.

"Tell me to stop and I will," he mumbles against her mouth. "But ask me to keep going and I'll take _very_ good care of you."

"Ten minutes…twenty tops."

Elena giggles as his hands cup her ass, lifts her up, and she automatically wraps her legs around his lean waist.

And Damon doesn't stand a chance the moment she reconnects their lips and grinds her tight little body against his.

* * *

"We are so late," Elena mutters as she adjusts her hair one last time in Damon's car. She already spotted Caroline's, Bonnie's, and Stefan's cars in the parking lot. She's sure the others are also at the club. "I can't believe I let you talk me into doing _that_."

"You loved it," Damon flares his eyes at Elena for emphasis.

She doesn't understand how Damon can be so calm when they're at least an hour late.

"And you'll love it again tonight."

"And who says I'm going home with you," Elena teases just to get a rile out of Damon. And as she sees his hand reach out for her, she jumps out of the car and sticks her tongue out childishly.

Elena can't deny that things have been going so well between them. Once Klaus was out of the picture, they were able to enjoy their summer again.

At first it was hard. She had dated Elijah—Klaus's slightly older brother—they are friends with Rebekah still, and Klaus's parents have money. They were able to put up a fight.

But luckily Giuseppe and his negotiating lawyer skills worked something out with Klaus's parents. They didn't want a scandal, Elena didn't want to draw even more attention to herself, and so they all agreed to handle Klaus's inexcusable behavior and horrendous actions as quietly and swiftly as possible.

Her mother had flown back, practically never leaving Elena's side for a minute, and now four weeks later she's back on a business trip she had to reschedule. This is the first time she's left Elena for more than a night, and the only way she did leave was under the promise that Elena would stay at the Salvatores in their guest bedroom.

Walking hand in hand together into the party, Elena and Damon immediately spot their friends.

They were still receiving stares as they walk around the pool, and Elena isn't sure if it's because the queen is with the king of the two rival schools or if it's because everyone knows Klaus drugged her drink.

"It's about time," Alaric exclaims good heartedly before wrapping his arms around Elena. "And how's my favorite girl doing?"

"Is that not meant to offend us?" Caroline asks sarcastically, motioning between herself, Bonnie, and Rebekah.

But Elena laughs into Alaric's chest and hugs him back.

"Better watch out, Salvatore. I'm gonna steal your girl eventually," Alaric jokes.

"And if that ever happens then you're gonna find yourself a dead man." When Elena is back at his side, Damon whispers into her ear, "Drink?"

"Yes please." And watching him go, Elena blushes when she realizes her friends are watching her. "What? You guys are freaking me out here."

"You just look happy," Caroline explains.

Standing around with her friends, everyone dressed in evening gown attire because the Lockwood parties are never less than formal, Elena spots Mason talking to Damon at the built in drink cart.

"That's something I'm not used to seeing," Elena mumbles.

"It's weird. I'll give you that," Stefan agrees with his own drink in hand. "And you have a little something right here." His thumb sweeps out and swipes across her side neck. "What the…"

"It's hot sauce." Her face is as bright as the sauce she was eating before.

"I don't even want to know."

When Mason and Damon come back over to the group, Caroline and Tyler are already dancing to the soft music playing by the band and Bonnie and Matt are by the food table.

"Hey El," Mason greets.

"Hey. Where's Hayley tonight?"

"Family vacation before school starts again."

The night carries on with laughter, talking and dancing. They have one week left before school officially starts, however, all the guys have started football and have been pretty busy already. Elena and Damon have had to work to make time for each other with their time being divided between the club and Damon's hectic workout routine.

And so having this staff party was just what they needed.

"We'll work on the speakers tomorrow," Damon says while doing some intricate guy shake with Mason.

"I still don't understand how you and him went from hating each other to being best buds," Elena says comically.

Damon wraps his arm around her and pulls her close as they start to walk through the empty club. The only people inside were the servers and entertainment who were busy cleaning up.

"We aren't best buds…we're…civil."

"You're helping him with his car….you don't even do that with Stefan unless he pays you," Elena snorts.

She doesn't question Damon when he leads her down a familiar hallway; however it's not towards the exit of the club. Instead, she watches as Damon opens the boys' locker room/bathroom and checks to see if anyone is inside.

"We have the same friends…play the same sport…it was time we started behaving." Looking back at her, Damon sends her a wink. "Now after you."

"What are we even doing in here?"

But when Damon holds the door open for her she enters anyways.

"Do you remember the day we interviewed here? That was when Lockwood and I got into a fight about you. That was also the day you patched me up. God, I wanted you that day."

Damon is right behind her, talking into her neck as his lips ghost across her bare skin.

Heat scorches Elena's neck, but she doesn't step away from Damon.

"You took care of me even though I didn't deserve it."

"You're too hard on yourself."

Elena knows that Damon has blamed himself every day for a month now. And she's all talked out about it. She's starting to realize that no matter what she says to him, Damon will always blame himself. It's going to just take time and patience for him to realize that Klaus is the only one at fault.

"Come here," she directs softly. They sit on an empty wooden bench in front of the lockers, both with their legs on either side facing each other. She takes his warm hands and cradles them. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not over the whole Klaus thing?"

"And why do I get the feeling that you're over it too easily?" He counters.

"Because I'm choosing to focus on the positives here. I'm choosing to focus on all those summer nights we went skinny dipping. The bonfires we had with our friends. The end of summer party Mason is throwing. And I'm choosing to focus on the thought that Klaus can't hurt anyone right now because he was sent away."

"Yah, but for how long," Damon scoffs.

Giuseppe worked out a deal with Klaus' parents that as long as they kept the media out of it, they would basically agree with whatever their demands were. Apparently, this isn't the first time Klaus has caused trouble for the family. It was just his parents' money that hid it. They had even hid it from their other kids.

And so they agreed that the best place for Klaus would be a juvenile detention facility across the country. A place that specializes in helping kids who have had problems just like Klaus.

Elena chooses to ignore Damon's question and presses a kiss to the inside of his wrist.

"I love you, Damon. And I see a future with you. Do you see a future with me?"

"Yes," he doesn't hesitate. "God, yes."

Elena scoots a little closer and presses his hand against her beating heart. "Then be in this moment with me. Don't keep living in the past."

She presses a tentative kiss to his cheek, corner of his mouth, and then his lips.

"Just you and me?" His fingers slip into her hair, running through the strands until he grips the back of her head.

"Just you and me," Elena promises with a smile.

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

 **Can anyone guess what random deleted scenes I'm going to post in the future? Maybe you'll give me ideas too!**

 **Also, there's only an epilogue left for this story.**


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